Ressler Whump! A drabble of Ressler hurt and Liz comfort :o)
by Schreiberin44
Summary: My take on some epsiode where Ressler get's hurt or nearly hurt...and that's quite every episode :o) I just noticed that he gets into the line of fire VEEEEERY often...a blow here, an explosion there. I LOVE IT :o) So prepare for a lot of Ressler whump just like the title says.
1. Just some pain in a lonely alley (1x17)

Hello everyone!

First of all I have to say, that English isn't my first language but I am doing my very best here so please be a little patient :o)

This first chapter was already posted under the title "Just some pain in a lonely alley" but I decided to post it here again because it fits pretty well into the Ressler whump I want to write about. 

I will post a 2nd chapter soon.

**PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU LIKE THE RESSLER WHUMP idea.** Hope ou want me to continue! :o)

I really and absolutely got addicted to Blacklist, it's one of the greatest show I have ever seen. And of course Donald Ressler….wow! ;o)

This story is just a really small oneshot. Here in Germany we haven't seen all episodes but due to some promos, pictures etc. I picked this scene of 1x17 and decided to write something about it.

Here we go….

**Just some pain in this lonely alley.**

Ressler checked himself in the mirror. His bullet proof vest was tightly striped to his body. He knew that it would possibly hurt but all that didn't matter to him anymore. With loosing Audrey he had lost such a big piece of his heart that he felt numb. This whole operation was getting his mind out of the bad and dark thoughts that where hunting him all day. Liz had tried to talk to him for a few times but he had just brushed her off. Before Audrey stepped back into his live Liz was all he could think about. He had learned more about her and he had felt it, deep down in his gut. She had become his partner and he had slowly felt that he cared about her not only as his partner, as a person, as a woman.

But Liz was married. He knew that something was wrong with Tom and that their marriage was in trouble but he hadn't thought about it any further. Liz wasn't showing him anything than that she cared for him as her partner and that was okay. A relationship at work was nothing Donald Ressler would be okay with anyways,

As he entered the alley he took in a deep breath. He knew that Reddington was really going to shoot. They had talked it through. As soon as the bullet would hit his vest the fake blood was going to soak his white shirt.

Ressler could feel the adrenaline rushing through his body. He had never known before that he was going to catch a bullet in a few minutes. He actually had never cached a bullet into his vest before. It had ended up in his leg and the pain was reminding him daily what it meant to be shot.

The door opened and Reddington stepped out of the building.

"Ressler!", Donald imagined that he heard Liz calling out for him but he didn't have time to react on it, he had to proceed.  
"Stop!", Donald shouted out and got into action. He could see the gun Red was pointing at him and it took a lot of afford to not grab his own gun out of instinct. The shot was ringing in his ears and seconds later he could feel the bullet hitting the vest.  
Reddington was a pretty damn good shooter, the bullet got him right at his sternum, getting all the air to leave his system immediately. He had imagined that it would hurt but this was more than just a little pitch, this was a whole lot more.

Elisabeth Keen got out of her car and looked around for Ressler. Meera had told her that he was with Reddington but all she could see was his lonely car.

"Ressler." Liz called out. She had to talk to him. It was so wrong that he was already back on duty but they still hadn't found the time to talk about it. Liz had learned over the month that Ressler wasn't a friend of big words or of talking about emotions but they had grown closer and Ressler had talked to her about Audrey and about everything they where going through. Now it was her time to talk to him, to help him through this difficult time.

"Ressler!", she called out again just as she could hear him scream.

"Stop!", just a few meters away. The single shot ringing out made her jump into cover, getting her own gun ready.

"Ressler!" This time it was more than just calling out for him. It was a pleading scream. As she didn't got any answer Liz took in a deep breath and rounded the corner, her gun still drawn.  
She felt like her world was turning upside down as she spotted Ressler unmoving on the ground, blood all over his upper body. Not again.  
"NO!" Liz screamed crashing down right beside Ressler's unmoving form. He had his eyes closed and Liz didn't hesitate to put pressure on his wound immediately, pressing hard onto his sternum.

Ressler moaned out as soon as he felt the pressure, getting the pain in his upper body to explode immediately.  
"Shhhh, everything is going to be okay. Just stay with me. Stay with me Donald!" Liz begged.

Ressler tried hard to focus on what was going on .He was just getting the pain in his sternum under control as soon as he felt the pressure on his body. He could hear Liz words and tried his best to focus on her, so he could tell her that it was just a fake, that he was alright.

Liz fumbled for her phone while still pressing one hand onto Resslers sternum.

"Not again Donald, oh please not again.", she said while Ressler was now able to blink through the pain and open his eyes to look into Liz wonderful eyes. Her mascara was running down her cheeks together with the tears she was crying, panic was written all over her face.  
"I am okay!", Ressler said, trying to wipe her hand off of his sternum. Liz just looked at him, not believing a single word he was saying.  
"It's in the vest. I am okay." Ressler said again, his voice stronger this time.

"No, you are bleeding all over. I will call for an ambulance, you just have to stay with me okay? It is going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright. You just have to stay with me!" Liz continued.

Donald hold on for just a second and got his mind away from the thoughts he had just lived through before. What if he had really been shot again? Was it worth fighting? For what? He had lost everything and he couldn't imagine anything better than getting back to Audrey.  
Ressler snapped out of his thoughts as Liz called out for him again, pleading. He took Liz hand and squeezed it tightly.

"I am okay. It's not my blood." He said while Liz ripped his shirt off without hesitating a second longer. She could see the bulletproof vest and the bullet in it, just right above Ressler's sternum.

"Where is all this blood coming from?" Liz asked still in panic.

"It's just fake Liz. Red pretended to shoot me to keep his cover up."

"He shoot you?", Liz asked shocked that Red had really blown a shot at Ressler..  
"Yes but it was all part of the plan expect the fact that it really hurt. This bastard had to shot at my sternum." Ressler said and tried to sit up, Liz helping him immediately. Ressler moaned out again while slowly laying back down.

"You sure you don't need an ambulance?"

"I am. All I need is to get this damn vest off of me. I can't stand the pressure on my sternum a second longer." Ressler said before trying to rip it off, moaning out again.

"Shhhh. Just lay still, let me help you." Liz said in a gentle voice her eyes giving away so much caring, so much love that Ressler nearly lost himself in them.

It felt unbelievable good as soon as Liz got the vest over his head but now he was laying here in front of her, his upper body completely naked in this trashed alley.

"It's already turning purple. I think it will hurt for a while.", Liz said after inspecting the mark on Resslers body, her fingers gently touching his naked skin.

"I am sorry I have scared you."

"You know I get used to it. You where shot before and I watched you nearly bleeding to death right in front of me. It wasn't the first time I was really scared because of you."

"I am sorry."

"I know you are but it's you….you know. It's who you are. You are jumping into danger, into situations like that without hesitating. That is what makes you the poster boy FBI agent." Ressler had to laugh a little together with Liz. He accepted her hand to get back to his feet before he hold onto her for another second to stabilize his blood pressure.

"I need a new shirt"

"For sure you do. Come on let's get your wounded self back to the blackside."

"Liz wait." Liz turned around to face her partner.

"What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be out here."

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About?" "It can wait. I don't want you to get a cold out here, it's pretty cold."

Ressler smiled before he got into his SUV. He was glad to have her by his side.

As a partner.

As a person.

As a woman.


	2. Pain and Partners (1x13)

WOW thank you so much for your nice comments. So you want me to continue :o) THAT'S GREAT, THAAAANK YOU.

So here we go again with chapter two. For this chapter I picked episode 1x13 (The Cyprus Agency).

I am not quite satisfied but I hope that you will like it.

I figured that I will always pick the part where something happens to Ressler and add what I would have loves to see ;o) Hope you all like it and give me a comment.

Pain and Partners

Frantically Ressler and Kenn searched the parking garage for Charlotte's car. They couldn't be to late, she had to be here, they needed to save her from everything that was waiting for her. They couldn't loose another woman to this bastards, not that they where so close.

"Keen, Keen! The car." Ressler pointed out as soon as he spotted the blue Nissan in the parking lot.

Just seconds after he had told Keen that he had found Charlotte's books he could hear movement in the Van on his left side. Without hesitating he unholstered his gun and called for the passenger to step out of the car. He could hear that Keen had her gun drawn too.

The Van pulled back so fast Ressler couldn't even think about moving out of harms way. He stretched his hand out in an effort to stop the van even though he knew that he could do nothing against the nearing car.

The impact of the car forced him to the ground and he couldn't believe the intensity of the pain that was floating his body as soon as he had touched the ground. He had dropped right onto his left leg with full force.  
His screams of pain where muffled by Keen firing her gun while he rolled onto his right side to get the pressure off of his leg. He pressed his hand against it and rolled back onto his back where he tried his best to not pass out even if the darkness was calling for him. It had been month since he had been shoot but the pain was still there. At the hospital the doctors had told him that he would probably never go back to the job again, that he would probably never walk without a cane again. He had proved them wrong. Even with the daily pain he had fought his way back to the job and after two and a half month he had left his cane in the car and had walked back into the Blackside like nothing had ever happened before even if it caused him pain every single day.

Ressler could hear Keen talking over the radio but he couldn't understand what she was saying. Still the pain made it difficult to focus. He knew that he had to pull himself together, that he had to get up. They needed to stop them, needed to save Charlotte. He tried to sit up but buckled over pressing his hand hard against his leg.

Ressler took in a shaky breath and tried his best to get upright while he could hear Keen calling out for him, asking if he was alright.

He had made it in a standing position but still he refused to put any pressure onto his leg. He staggered on his right leg while he could hear that Keen was now running towards his side. Within seconds he could feel her presence near while she grabbed him, stabilized him without any word spoken. Ressler didn't fight her off even if he would have loved to. The pain was just to immense.

"Talk to me!", Keen said and Ressler tried to blink though the pain. "Do you need me to call an ambulance?"

"No!", he said quickly. "I just. I need to sit down for a second."

Together they made their way towards the side of the parking lot, Ressler hopping on his right leg. Keen gently lowered him to the ground but Ressler couldn't hold back a moan as his left leg touched the ground again. With his hand he was still gripping the area where the bullet had hit him. He felt miserable and he had to fight back the nauseous feeling the intensity of the pain was causing.

"You sure you don't need a doctor?" Keen asked as she was kneeling down in front of him inspecting his ghostly white face with sorrow.  
"It's just my leg. It's fine, I just need a minute." Ressler tried his best to brush her off.  
"Will you please just stop to pretend that you are alright? I am not believing a single word so just stop it and tell me what's really going on okay?"  
"I just fell right onto my leg. I really hope that the pain will go away soon." 

"Let me help you up." Keen said after they had sat there for a few minutes in silence, Ressler still trying to breath through the pain. He knew that they couldn't sit there forever and they had just heard Coopers voice over the radio telling them to come back to the Blackside.  
Ressler accepted Keen's hand to pull him upright before he leaned onto her and tried to put some pressure back onto his left leg, failing miserably. He moaned out in pain and it took all of Keen's strength to keep him from collapsing back to the ground again.

"I got you just talk to me Ressler, I got you!" Keen said breathing hard under the weight of her partner.

"Just get back to the car." Ressler said through gritted teeth, still leaning onto Keen while they made their way back to their car painfully slow. Ressler breathed out as soon as he could feel the soft fabric of the passenger seat underneath him. He grabbed his leg and lowered it into the car closing his eyes again.

"I will get you to the ER now." Keen pointed out as soon as she got into the drivers seat, facing her still ghostly pale partner.  
"Would you please just stop it? Just get us back to the Blackside."

"And than what? Will you swallow some more pain medication and get the hidden cane back from behind the file cabinet?", Keen said sharply.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Donald. You know what is really important in a relation...in a professional relationship?" Keen asked correcting herself.

"Honesty." She continued. "I know that you are still swallowing a lot of pain medication. I know that you are in pain with every step that you take. I know that you properly still need your cane but you are to proud to use it...I know that..."

"Stop profiling me!" Ressler interrupted her, now making eye contact.

"I am not profiling you. You are my partner and as a partner I recognize things, I get to know you and I worry about you."

"Yeah right." Ressler just tried to brush the subject off. He didn't want her to worry about him. He doesn't want her or anyone's pity.

"You are always 15 minutes to early in the morning because you hate it when people are running late. Your first stop in the morning is the kitchen where you get yourself a cup of coffee. In the morning you are always drinking it black, in the afternoon you get some sugar into it. You have a cane stored behind the file cabinet because you know that things like today can easily happen even though you know that you would never use it because of what the people would think about you. You are slightly limping but try not to when people are watching you. You hate it when your collages don't give 100 percent and that's why you first avoided me that much, because I wasn't giving my best. I know that you have a great amount of pain medication stored in the second drawer of your desk hidden behind some empty files. You are taking one every morning between 10 and half past 11 and when we got a rough day you take another at about 3 o'clock. I know all those things because I care about you Donald. You don't need to be the poster boy FBI agent around me, I just need you to be honest and talk to me about the things bothering you. In the field I have to trust you 100 percent you know that."

Ressler just listened to Keen silently before he looked back at her.

"When you don't believe the things people are telling you you are twisting your nose just a little but enough to see it. You play with your hair when you are completely concentrated. You always want to be perfect but your emotions are often crossing your way. In difficult situations you are not trusting yourself even if there is no reason for it. You don't like it to get lectured but you are always thankful for a good advice. It seems like there can't be enough milk in your coffee, to tell the truth you are always drinking milk with a tiny bit of coffee in it." Ressler said getting Keen to smile. How much he loved to see this smile on her face even if he would never admit it. 

"We are partners right?" Keen asked.

"Right."

"So I will ask again: are you alright?"

"As I attended physiotherapy after being shot the therapist said that there was a 20 percent chance that I would ever be able to walk without a cane. I proved them wrong but I am still in a great amount of pain. This job is my life and I can't lose it due to my damn leg. If Cooper finds out that I got hit again and that I am in trouble again he wouldn't let me get back into the field until I am back to 100 percent. You know that a job behind a desk would kill me. So no I am not alright and yes it hurts like hell but I can't just give in now."

"I know. So what are we going to do now?"

"Can you just pretend nothing has happened? Just for today? It's not long until I will be back home where I can rest up until tomorrow. I promise that I will call you tomorrow morning if the pain is still there."

"Okay but how will you get through this day today?"

"With my partner." Ressler just said with a smile. He knew that he could trust Keen even if it had been difficult to admit at the beginning. He really liked her.

As a partner.

As a woman.

As a friend.


	3. Darkness (1x15)

Thank you so much for your nice comments! I am so happy that you like the idea of the story and the story itself.

I have a new chapter ready for you guys. There are some parallels to the last chapter but I can promise the next one will be different. :o)

Hope you stay tuned and let me know what you think of Chapter 3.  
By the way you can always send me a message or leave a review if you have a wish for a special episode.

Have fun reading!

**Chapter 3 - Darkness**

„I really feel we should wait for Frank to come back. It's his space...it's...", the old lady said while Ressler made a step forward looking into the darkness that was meeting him. He found a flashlight at the side, switching it on immediately. It wasn't working well but it still gave him more light than the small flashlight he could use with his weapon. He could see the unsure look on Keen's face.

"Stay here.", Ressler said towards Liz and entered the completely dark room further and with high caution.  
He didn't want her to follow him inside, he didn't want to be afraid that something could happen to her while she was so close behind him. Ressler knew that Liz was an agent herself even with only basic field training but she was good in the way she was working. Nonetheless it felt better for him when she was just standing in the lighted hallway, far away from the danger that was maybe waiting for them in the darkness. He had really started to care for her recently. She was a great partner and during all the time they spent working together she had really became a great friend too. He could talk to her in private, something he had never wanted to do. But Liz was just Liz and he felt safe when he talked to her, completely knowing that she wouldn't use anything he would ever tell her against him. He had never had a real friend he could talk to completely honest. Liz had begged him more than once to be honest to her and he was, truthfully he was.

Ressler's mind snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a muffled sound nearby. He grabbed for his gun and could hear Keen within a second. She had his back, she would always have his back.

"What is it?", she asked immediately.

"Just stay where you are." It came out way to harsh but he just needed her to stay save.

"Damn it.", Ressler cursed as the flashlight went off for another time. He shook it harshly.

"Ressler? You okay?" He could hear in Keens voice that she was worried. Ressler turned around to talk to her but his eyes grew wide in shock as he saw Frank Gordon standing right in front of him. He couldn't react, couldn't do anything before he felt something hard against his head. The pain was sharp and intense but it wasn't lasting to long. The darkness sucked him in completely and he didn't even feel the impact when his body hit the ground.  
"Ressler!", Keen screamed as she could hear him moaning out in pain before she could hear a body crashing to the ground.

Not again.

Keen unholstered her gun and got into action immediately.

"Ressler!", she called out again. Nothing. It had been him. It had been his body crashing to the ground.  
Keen fired into the darkness as she could hear something in front of her, her flashlight only giving away some shadows. She knew that she had missed but it didn't matter to her anyways. Her feet had stumbled across something that felt like a leg. She shined her flashlight down inhaling deeply as she could see Ressler's unmoving form.

"Ressler talk to me!" She begged him before kneeling down right next to him, inspecting his head with her flashlight. She couldn't see any wound or any blood but this fact wasn't comforting her at all. Still Donald was down, not moving and unconscious.  
"Talk to me Donald. Please!", she begged silently feeling for a pulse. She was relieved to find it strong and steady.

Just second's afterwards Ressler shifted slightly under her touch. She had just started to inspect his body for any further damage.

"Ah." It was a soft but deep moan.

"Shhhh. You are okay Donald just lay still. I will call for an ambulance." Liz said searching for her mobile phone. Ressler slowly opened his eyes. It was so dark he could only see Keen's shadow in the darkness. The flashlight was clearly pointing away from her and onto his body. "I am fine.", Ressler said his voice raw. His head was throbbing like hell.

"You sure about that? You where unconscious. I am pretty sure you have a concussion."

"I just need some fresh air." Ressler said swallowing down the nauseous feeling in his gut. Maybe he had really suffered a concussion. Keen helped Ressler up who seemed to be completely steady as soon as he was upright.

"Get me out of here." He said not sure if he could stand the darkness a second longer. His body was still at full alert and he knew Keen's was too. Gordon could still be here.

Ressler inhaled deeply as they stepped outside the sun was hitting him like a sword in his eyes.

"You sure you are alright?" Keen asked as soon as she heard Ressler moan out again. He had closed his eyes and was using the wall for support.  
He wasn't answering her. What should he tell her anyways? That his head was killing him? That he couldn't stand the bright light for a second longer? That he felt nauseous? Everything he was just suffering was a sign of a concussion and he completely knew that even if he didn't want to admit it. They needed to find Frank Gordon. He had been to close, he couldn't just step away now because of a little headache.

Ressler begged away as he could feel soft hands touching his head.

"Just hold still will ya? I just want to see that you are not bleeding." Keen said gently stroking Donald's hair searching for a possible head wound. It was way easier than in the darkened hole they had just been in.

She cupped his cheek with her hand and was surprised as Ressler opened his eyes again, looking at her with such a soft expression she couldn't remember she had ever seen in his eyes before. They where standing just inches away from each other and Keen could even feel his breath on her face.

"Stop worrying about me Liz.", Ressler said gently before he got her hand away from his head, holding it for a second.

"Than stop getting into situations like this. I am worried sick every time something happens to you and I can tell you that's quite often."

"It's the job."

"No it's not the job, it's you Donald. It's who you are. I am doing this job too and yes sometimes I get a scratch but you….you really have to take more care about yourself."

"I didn't ask Mr. Gordon to do this to my head, right?"

"No but you get into situations like that because you want to protect me. You don't need to protect me."

"Of course I have to. You are my partner, my friend and….a woman."

"Oh come on Donald…really? A woman?"  
"I was told to protect woman, yes." Ressler said with a smirk getting Keen to smile too.

"I really mean it. We have to talk about you getting into situations like that.", Keen continued. "Can we talk about that later. My head is killing me."

"You sure you don't need a doctor?"

"Liz I know that I got a concussion myself, I don't need a doctor telling me that."

"You feel signs of a concussion?" Liz asked not believing what he was just telling her.

"Of course I do. I blacked out didn't I?" "

"You need to get attended, a concussion could turn serious, you know that."  
"Liz stop worrying."  
"Donald, stop worrying me!"

"Good point. Come on let's get inside we got a job to do."  
"You can't just go back to work like nothing has happened."

"I will tell you when I need to go home." Ressler said turning around for the door.  
Liz grabbed his arm, getting him to turn around and face his partner again. How beautiful she was.  
"You promise?", she asked looking into his eyes.  
"I promise." He said honestly before walking back inside. He knew that she always had his back, no matter what.


	4. Air (1x06)

Hello! A great thank you again to all of your comments. I am so thrilled every time I check for comments...and I have to admit...I check quite often :o) As I promised the next two chapters...maybe not this one but the next one...are quiet different to the other three chapters...hope you will like it. 

I really loved episode 1x06 Gina Zanetakos.

Ressler really got banged up A LOT in this episode...but as in all the other episodes before he was always just fine. Not quite realistic if you ask me ;o) So this is where I got my fingers working ;o)

Chapter 4 - Air

Ressler made his way into the elevator still barking orders into his mobile phone. His mind was so full of the things needed to be done that he didn't even think about checking the elevator he had just gotten into.

There was a group of girls giggling but he didn't even recognize them. Gina Zanetakos was on the run and they needed to find her.

As the elevator door opened Ressler stepped to the site letting everyone out before he waited patiently for the doors to close again. It didn't take long until he could feel the presence of another person right behind him. He tried to turn around but the punch right into his face hit him hard and without any warning. He wasn't prepared.  
As they turned around like a dance he could see Zanetakos face but soon her knee landed in his stomach over and over again. He tried to fight her off halfhearted, it was his soft spot. He couldn't through a punch into a woman's face.

Zanetakos continued to throw punches at his face and without any warning Ressler could feel her arm wrapping around his neck. She strangled him.  
Ressler tried to fight her off, to take a breath but it was getting heavier for him to move. He knew that she wouldn't kill him but soon sparkles where dancing in front of his eyes. He tried to blink them away but without air there was nothing he could do. The weight of her body on his back got heavier with every second passing by. Slowly he crumbled to the ground still trying to fight her off. The blood floating through his system was now getting his ears to ring. Everything else was just muffled. He could hear the sound of the elevator doors opening in the distance before his world went completely black.

Ressler took in a deep breath as he got back to consciousness. He didn't know how long he had blacked out. He slit against the elevator wall into a sitting position still trying his best to sort out what had just happened. He felt miserable. His throat, his head, his face, his back, his stomach, everything was on fire. He could taste blood in his mouth. But the worst thing was the fact that he couldn't suck in all the air his lungs and his whole body was longing for. He tried his best not to hyperventilate.

The sound of a phone ringing snapped him out of his disoriented state. With shaking hands he fumbled for the phone before answering it. He was still trying to catch his breath and get the control over his aching body back.  
"Shubie Hartwell?", Keen asked on the other side of the phone.

"Not quite." Ressler breathed out. His voice was just a shadow of his normal demanding tone.

"Ressler? Why did you got her phone? Did you find her? Could you stop her?" Keen continued to asked anxiously.  
"Not quite." Donald answered again the pain now visible in his voice. He couldn't continue to talk to her, even the phone felt just to heavy to hold so he just dropped it, even with Keen on the other side of the line.

"Are you okay? Is everything alright?" Keen asked as soon as she had finally recognized how Ressler was actually sounding.

"Donald?", Keen nearly screamed into her phone as she couldn't hear any answer. The phone was still on but Ressler wasn't answering her anymore.

Within a second she was on her way down. She took as many steps as possible in one time. She needed to find him, needed to know that he was alright. Keen could hear two kids asking their father if the unconscious man from the elevator was going to be alright and what had just happened to him. Keen automatically knew that it had to be Ressler. Was he still unconscious? Had he lost consciousness while they had been talking on the phone? Had Zanetakis shot him? What state was he in? Keens mind was racing.

As soon as she entered the lowest level she ran straight to the elevator that was still in the lobby, the door wide open. It was blocked by a foot. Ressler.  
"Ressler!" Keen screamed out as soon as she saw him. He was now sitting on the side of the elevator blocking the door with his foot. He had tried to get up for a few times but still his body wouldn't do what he was telling it. He needed air.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Keen asked crashing down right beside her partner. She could see the blood on his lip and his face which was already turning purple. His breathing was labored and far away from being normal and healthy. She could see the panic in his eyes.  
"Talk to me!", she begged.

"She strangled me.", Ressler explained still out of breath.  
"You where unconscious?" Keen asked receiving a nod from Ressler.  
"Let me take a look at your face." Keen gently touched it, inspecting the cut on Resslers lip and the mark on his face.

"Where else did she get you?"

"Ribs and stomach."

"Did you broke anything?"

Ressler closed his eyes for a second still trying to sort out the pain all over his body.

"No...no I don't think so."

"What about your throat? Everything okay? Can you swallow, can you breath in probably?"

"Yeah. I am alright. I just need a few more seconds." 

"Did you call the ambulance?" A paramedic asked showing up right in front of the elevator.

"Yes we did. FBI. We found a body in a hotel room." Keen said before looking at Ressler and than back at the paramedic.

"My partner was strangled. He passed out, can you check him out first?"

"No. I am fine!", Ressler said quickly.

"No you are not." Keen demanded getting to her feet to let the paramedics take care of Ressler.

She knew that he hated to be attended but right now she could see that he wasn't even able to fight them off. His body needed oxygen and they both knew it. Ressler didn't fight as the paramedics asked him to lay down on the ground before they placed the oxygen mask over his face. He sucked the oxygen in and couldn't believe how great it felt to his body. Even if he would never admit it, without the help of the paramedics he wouldn't have made it back to his feet that easily.  
"So I think there is nothing broken. I would like you to get completely checked in a hospital." The older paramedic said as soon as he had replaced the oxygen mask from Resslers face. Due to the monitor they had hooked him on his oxygen levels where now stabilized again.

"I am fine thank you." Ressler said before getting back to his feet, using the elevator wall for a little support. He stiffed his shirt back into his trousers and looked at Keen who was standing in front of the elevator sorrow all over her face.

"I am good. Really." Ressler pointed out before stepping out of the elevator. He felt way better after the oxygen and Keen could see it on her own. She stretched her arm out, gently touching the mark on Resslers face. Ressler winced a little but Keen just cupped his cheek for a second longer, looking directly into Resslers eyes.

At first she had demonished him more than once for the way he was acting. He had made her life even more complicated. With every gesture, every word spoken he had shown her that he didn't like her, that he couldn't understand why she was there, why Red wanted her to be there after he had spend more than seven years of his life hunting him down. But as the weeks had passed they had grown closer, they had started to talk even about private stuff. Liz had slowly recognized how much this job meant for Donald and she had understand why he had been so angry against her. They had talked about it and figured out how to work together, how to get along. And with every day passing after they had honestly talked to each other Liz had to admit that she really liked Donald.

As a partner.

As a friend.

…..to be continued!

Next chapter (still episode 1x06) a lot of Ressler whump and a lot of Liz and Ressler!


	5. Worth living for

Thank you so much for your reviews! Love to read from you :o)

So here we go with the promised chapter. Hope you all like it. Please let me know what you think. The beginning is a little...I don't know how to say it. I don't like it myself but during the chapter it's getting better ;o) I tried to change it a few times but decided that it fits with the things I want to describe. :o)

I don't have a plan which episode I should choose for the next chapter...so wises are more than welcome :o) Should I continue 1x06 (this chapter) a little or do you wish any other episode to be written about?`Please let me know!

Have fun!

**Chapter 5 – Worth living for**

Keen could feel the pressure on Resslers shoulders while he tried to delegate the people through the harbor, desperately searching for the dirty bomb. She could feel the pressure on her own shoulders two even if she wasn't in command.

They talked the case through again as the idea got into their mind piece by piece. They made a great team, no matter what.

"The car is the bomb." The voice of the Bomb Squad Commander still echoed through her ears. They where running out of time. The Bomb Squad wasn't able to defuse the bomb in time, there was no way they could evacuate all the people that needed to be evacuated. There was nothing they could do. She looked at Ressler her eyes giving away her feelings. She was afraid, afraid and lost. But still she was searching for a way to get the situation under control.  
"What if we get the car into the water?" Liz asked and Ressler jumped into action.

"How can we get it off of the ship?" He asked a plan slightly forming in his head.

They needed to do something. There where to many life's at risk. Liz life was at risk too.

"It's not going to work!", Ressler said as the crane got the car down slowly.  
"It's going to work!" Liz snapped back.  
It was so likely for them. Liz was always seeing the good things.  
"We don't have any time left. It's less than a minute!" Ressler pointed out the facts. How could she still have hope? How could she think positive in a situation like that?

"We don't have much time." He said as soon as the car was down. He looked at Liz quickly before he ran to the car. Liz just looked back at him in shock not knowing was he was about to do.  
"Get out of the car now!" Ressler screamed as soon as he got to the drivers seat.

"Move!" He screamed before he got inside. Just 35 seconds. He would save her life even if he would risk his own. He couldn't think about the damage he would possibly do to his body with a move like that, he just needed to do something.

Liz was shocked to the bones as she watched Ressler jumping into the car and speeding it up. She tried to move, tried to say something but she was just frozen to the spot. How could he just do that? What was his plan? Would he get out of the car in time? Even if he would it was way to fast. He would suffer some damage, if he would actually make it out of the car alive.

Liz just hold her breath as the door opened and Ressler drooped out of the car rolling onto the ground. The car had been so fast. Liz gaze was still on Ressler as the bomb detonated in the water. She could see that Ressler had watched the detonation too but now his head had dropped to the ground. He wasn't moving. Liz took in a shaky breath, snapping out of the daze she had just been in. He needed help. Donald needed help.

"Call an ambulance. Now! Tell them Agent down. Do it!", Liz screamed running towards Ressler's unmoving form. She ran as fast as her legs allowed her too, her own breathing echoing in her ears. How could he just do something like that? He had been alive as he had dropped out of the car, Liz could just hope that he would make it to the hospital, that he was going to be alright. He just had to be.  
"Donald!", she screamed as she got near but he wasn't reacting, wasn't moving. She had hoped so much that he would turn around, that he would look at her. Nothing.

Liz crashed down beside him, frantically feeling for a pulse. She breathed out as she found it on his neck. It was strong but way to fast.

"Donald please look at me. Look at me!" Liz begged coping his face in her hands. Nothing. He was just lying there peacefully but his face was giving away the pain he was feeling. He couldn't die. Not like this, not with such a haunted look on his face.

"Please!" Liz said again, her eyes finally filling with tears.

"You can not leave me alone. Not like this. Not now." She begged him. Just a few hours before she had been afraid as she had found him in the elevator, struggling to breath. How could he be in a situation like this just a few hours after he made it out of the elevator alive? She needed to talk to him, needed to tell him what was on her mind.

"Where is this damn ambulance?" Keen screamed towards the other people who where getting towards them too.

"It's on the way Agent Keen." The commander of the Bomb Squad answered looking down at the unmoving Ressler.

"How is his pulse?" he asked. He could see that the Agent was far away from being okay so there was no need to ask if he was going to be okay. Nobody could tell that now.

"Fast but strong." Liz said stroking through Donald's hair.

"He is a strong person." She mumbled to herself but still loud enough for the Commander to hear it.

"Yes he is. I have never seen anything like that before. He is a true hero." The Commander pointed out. Liz just looked down at Donald, the mascara tears now running down her cheeks.

"Donald?" Liz asked as soon as she could feel Ressler moving slightly under her touch. Just seconds afterwards his eyes fluttered open looking at her with a painful look.

"Shhhh. Don't talk, just lay still. The ambulance is on the way." Liz told him, squeezing his hand tightly.

"The bomb?" Donald asked just above a whisper. Liz had to lean in closer to understand him.

"It's okay. It detonated in the water. It's okay." Liz could see a little smile on Ressler's face before he closed his eyes again.

"No! Donald no! Stay with me. Come on. Stay with me. Just look at me! Donald! Look at me!" Liz screamed shaking Ressler before she slapped his face. She didn't want to loose him again. He had to stay with her. She could see that he tried to open his eyes again but it didn't last long until he slipped back into unconsciousness. 

Liz settled down beside Ressler in the ambulance watching closely as the paramedics took care of her partner. Her phone was buzzing again and she could see that Meera was trying to reach her. Of course they needed to know what had happened to the bomb.

"I can't talk long. Ressler got the car into the water, the first results say that the water controlled the impact so there is no radioactivity in the air. Ressler is down. We are on our way to the hospital now." Keen told her college shortly.

"Is he going to be alright?" Meera asked and Liz could hear the sorrow in her voice too. She knew that Meera and Don where like friends too. They where working together for quite a long time now. "I don't know. He seeded the car up and jumped out. He's unconscious I can't tell you anything at the moment."

"Alright. Keep me posted."

"I will."

For Liz it felt like an eternity until the doctor came out of the examination room they had brought Ressler in.  
"Agent Keen?" He asked and Liz was surprised that he knew her name.

"Yes." She said while walking towards him. She could feel her hands shaking. There had been a million things going through her head as she had waited for any news. She couldn't tell when she had been so afraid for someone, expect when Tom had been hurt.

"Agent Ressler told me that you would probably be outside waiting for news on his condition."

"He is awake?" Liz asked relived. He was awake and he could talk. That was a good sign.

"Yes he is. You can follow me towards his room if you want to."

"Of course. How is he doing?"

"We want to keep him here for a day but he is refusing it. His body is pretty banged up from the impact as his body crashed to the ground out of the car but it's like a miracle that there are no broken bones or internal bleeding. He's suffering a mild concussion but other than that and the bruises all over his body he is just fine."

"What?" Liz asked. She couldn't believe what the doctor was just telling her. She had seen him fall, she had seen his body crashing to the ground. How the hell could he be just fine?

"As I said it's like a miracle but we did some scans and x-rays I can tell you he is bruised but alright. Of course he is in a lot of pain but nothing a little rest and a good pain medication couldn't heal."

Liz followed the doctor into the examination room. Ressler was still laying on a stretcher while a nurse attended a cut on his arm.

"What the hell where you thinking?" Liz asked as soon as she spotted him. All the sorrow was gone and now she was just feeling pure anger. Anger and another feeling she couldn't describe.  
The nurses looked up at her with widened eyes. She quickly set a patch onto the wound before leaving the room. It was obvious that the two of them needed some privacy.  
"Hey there too." Ressler said but Keen wasn't even paining attention.  
"What the hell where you thinking?" Liz nearly screamed slapping Ressler onto his shoulder. Ressler widened his eyes looking at his clearly shaken partner.

"There was nothing else we could have done."

"So you just risk your life?"

"If it's the only opportunity to save your life...and others of course!" Ressler said praying for a whole he could sink into. Damn he didn't want to speak that our loud.  
"I will tell you something Donald and you will listen to me now!" Liz said through gritted teeth while tears where already rolling down her cheeks.  
"Your life is as important as any other life! I know what you are thinking. I know why you are always doing this. You are always risking your life because you don't feel like you are worth living. You are always pretending your work is everything you live for and that is why you risk your life so easily. I will tell you something Donald! Even if you have no family and no one you care for there are people outside that care for you. I care for you. You can't just throw your life away damn it. I need you!" Liz screamed while she could suddenly feel Donald's hand on her face, gently brushing her tears away.  
"Thank you." He just said fighting back the urge to kiss her. He knew that he couldn't give into his feelings. He was way to emotional right now. Shaken from the events and the words she had just spoken. They where partners, nothing more. Partners and friends. She was married and they couldn't risk everything just because of this emotional moment.  
Liz took in a shaky breath.

"You understand me?" She said getting a gentle nod from Ressler.

"Come on we have to talk to my dear friend Gina."

"You can't just get up now and fly back to Washington."

"Doctor said I am fine."

"Doctor said he wants to monitor you until tomorrow."

"If you feel better you can monitor me until tomorrow and I won't say anything against it." Liz just rolled her eyes but had to jump into action as Donald moaned out while trying to get up.

"I feel like I have been hit by a car." He said leaning onto her hold.

"Not funny."

"I know." He said with a smirk before getting up.

"You are a great partner you know that?" He asked truthfully.

"Yeah but you are a mess I can tell you. Don't you ever do something like that to me again."

"I will try my best." Donald said with a small smirk on his face.  
He would always give his life to safe hers because he just needed her too.

As a partner.  
As a woman.

As a friend.


	6. Backup (1x03)

Hello to everyone!

Thank you for all your reviews and the nice words. It really makes me want to write more and more and continue with this story. So thank you!

rebeccabraxton: it's funny that you felt the way I did while writing and reading it. Thank you so much for your kind words and your reviews. Your words really mean a lot to me! 

Padira 95: Thank you thank you thank you. I really think it's the best one too :o) But the scene gave me so much opportunity and feelings to write it just like I did. Thank you so much!

nikkins: AHHHH! I LOVE long reviews. They are always making me soooo happy. Thank you so much. I am really trying my best. I also think that Red likes Donald for the way he is protecting Liz and working with Liz. Anslo Garrick...yeah I think I have to write one when this is all about Ressler whump...right? :o)

The episode itself was so intense...it makes it hard to write about...

I have an idea growing in my mind since the first time I ever watched ths episode...but it won't be a oneshot I can tell. Maybe 2 chapters. 1 with the actual episode and 1 or 2 with the aftermath because that's the main idea I have in my mind.

Let me know what you think. 

For today's chapter I picked the episode Wujing. This chapter is a little experiment because it is not like the actual episode went. I loves Ressler's fight scene in the episode.

Actually Liz wasn't by his side. She just showed her concern when she met Ressler at the post office again. So there is not much I can write about it...but this is fanfiction, right? So I will just turn this episode around a little...hope you will like it. Have fun reading and please let me know what you think. I can't wait to read your comments!

By the way...Ressler got a head wound AGAIN in this episode...:o) I think I will be able to spell the word concussion backwards in my sleep soon ;o)

Red will be in this chapter for the first time. Now I fell finally up to add him into a chapter. If I want to write a chapter about the episode Anslo Garrick I have to start...right ;o)

**Chapter 6 – Backup**

As Ressler got out of the car together with Meera he inhaled deeply. He was just glad that Keen was alright and that he wasn't going into this situation with her by his side.

Ressler was just searching the building as he could hear a sound on the outside. He stepped out and onto the scaffolding as shots where fired just above his head.

He looked up and ducked a little proceeding further missing the person who was just about to attack him. The impact of a body crushing onto his back made Ressler stumble, his body crashing hard against the two metal rods keeping him from crashing to the ground.

As soon as he found his balance back he punched back but his attacker was more than trained to fight. With every punch he blew another punch hit him straight back. Ressler was used to get in control fast. Over his head the shots where still ringing out but Ressler couldn't concentrate on that. He had lost his weapon nonetheless as the man had attacked him.

The man shoved him into the wall and Ressler could feel the great amount of pain as his back crashed against the concrete wall.  
Ressler slowly realized that he couldn't fight his attacker down so easily. He needed backup but he knew that Meera was possibly fighting her own fight inside the building. He was sure that she hadn't even recognized that he was in trouble. Ressler managed to reach into his pocket as the attacker tried to strangle him while his body was still leaning against the wall. It didn't take long to find the right button. He was an FBI agent, of course he had an opportunity to call for backup if needed. Aram had installed this new technology on their mobile phones month ago but until now nobody had needed to use it. Ressler pressed the button on the side of his telephone for a few seconds. He knew that after pressing it once and than pressing it again for 5 seconds the blackside would be notified that there was an agent in need of assistance. ASAP.

Keen was on her ride back to the Blackside in Reddington's car. She still couldn't believe what had just happened, what Reddington had just done.  
As her mobile phone started buzzing inside her jacket she furrowed her brows for a second. She had never heard this tone before.  
Keen got her mobile out and widened her eyes.

"Agent Ressler in need of assistance. ASAP" was showing up on her screen. She opened the message and got the coordinates onto her phone.  
"Dembe you need to get me to 135 Newton road...Now!" Keen said while Red turned towards her.  
"What is going on Lizzie?" He asked, his voice gentle as usual. He had just killed a man how could he be so soft, so calm?  
"Ressler is in trouble. We need to go there now!"  
Reddington could see Dembes eyes inside the review mirror so he quickly nodded. Red knew how much Ressler meant to Liz. He could see it in her body language right now, he could hear it in her voice.

"We are just two blocks away.", Dembe told Liz while she quickly made contact to the blackside telling them that she was on the way.

Through his earpiece Ressler could hear that help was on it's way. He just hoped that it wouldn't be Liz. He wouldn't pull her into harms way just because he wasn't able to fight this machine like man back that was still attacking him.  
Ressler had finally gotten the upper hand over his attacker. The pain of Resslers ellbow hitting the outstretched arm made the man crash to the ground and Ressler didn't wait a second until he jumped into action again. He had heard the man who had been firing the shots before crashing to the ground on the same level he was at.

Ressler pushed his foot into the face of the man before throwing him off of the building and into death. He tried not to look back, he couldn't watch the man die. Nonetheless he had to swallow hard, reminding himself that he was doing the right thing and that he was fighting to save a life of a man.

Ressler grabbed the gun and turned around where his attacker was already waiting for him, grabbing for the gun. This man was way harder than any other man he had ever fought against before.

Liz jumped out of the car as soon as Dembe stopped in front of the building. No other units had made it as fast as her. She turned around as Red approached behind her, his weapon in his hand.  
"What do you think you are doing?" Liz asked as she recognized Red's presence.  
"I will not let you walk in there on your own. These people are dangerous. Ressler had been an idiot to walk in there without any more backup but I think even a poster boy Agent makes mistakes sometimes."  
Liz couldn't pay attention to Red any further. She needed to locate Ressler, needed to make sure that he was going to be alright. She looked up the scaffolding where she could see Resslers body crashing against the metal rods, keeping him from falling. Liz hold her breath for a second before she got back into action, climbing up the stairs with Red and Dembe following closely. 

Ressler crashed to the ground as a feet met his neck painfully. He tried to sort out what had just happened but the man already pushed him into a standing position before shoving his head into a window with full force. Ressler could hear the glass breaking and tried to catch his breath and breath trough the pain but his attacker smashed his head against the window for another time.

Liz ducked automatically as she could hear shots fired just a few inches away from her actual position. She rounded the corner, her gun still drawn and spotted Meera not far away.  
"Meera!" Keen called out getting Malik to turn around immediately.  
"Ressler is in trouble." Keen pointed out storming onto the scaffolding together with Malik.  
They arrived just in time to see Resslers head beeing smashed into the window. Keen struggled to take the shot because Ressler still fought back. As the shot finally rang through Keens ears both Ressler and his attacker crashed to the ground.

"Ressler" she screamed receiving no answer from her partner. She turned around towards Melik slowly recognizing that she hadn't shot either. As she turned around further she could see Red and knew immediately that it had been him.

"I swear to god if you shot him..." she said before running down the stairs as fast as she could. As she entered the scaffolding she knew that she had to secure the subject first but she didn't even pay attention. Ressler was lying flat on his stomach, blood was covering the left side of his face. 

"Donald." Liz nearly whispered while she searched frantically for a pulse. As she finally found it she breathed out full of relieve.

"Is he alive?" Malik asked as soon as she got onto the scaffolding as well.

"Yes." Liz answered.  
"He's not." Malik pointed out after searching for the subjects pulse.

Liz nearly jumped as Ressler suddenly moaned out in pain. Even before she could say anything Ressler turned around fast, trying desperately to get to his feet, his mind clearly still fighting the attacker off.

"Ressler! Donald!", Liz said getting her hands up. Ressler stumbled backwards but Red got him in time.

"You are safe, it's alright." Liz continued while Red helped Ressler slowly lower towards the ground leaning against the concrete wall, Liz kneeling down right in front of him.

"You are safe, everything is going to be alright." Liz pointed out gently touching Ressler's leg to convince him that everything was going to be alright.

Liz watched her partner closely. The left side of his face was still completely covered in blood but she could see that it was already turning blue and purple underneath all the blood. She had just seen a few blows Ressler had taken and couldn't imagine how the rest of his body would possibly look like.

"You got pretty banged up." She said pointing out the facts.

"This guy was a machine. I have never seen anybody fight like he did." Ressler said trying to wipe away some of the blood. Liz just got his hand away from the head wound, coping it gently into her small hand.  
"Don't touch it. It's not looking too good."  
"It's not feeling to good too." Ressler said closing his eyes for a second.  
"No, no, no, no! Don't even think about it Donald. Open your eyes for me." Liz said immediately getting Donald to look at her again.

Red was standing nearby watching the two of them interact. He had known right from the beginning that Donald cared for Liz but right now he was nearly overwhelmed by the two of them. He hadn't imagined that they would get so close so fast.

Now he had two people to watch out for. Liz cared deeply for Donald and for sure it would hurt her when something would ever happen to him. The previous minuted had told him that. And for sure he knew that Donald cared deeply for Lizzie. He was the partner he had imagined by her side. It was hard for him to see Liz in danger so often but with Donald he knew that he would always protect her when he wasn't by her side.

Ressler moaned out in pain as he tried to shift his weight a little. His right hand was firmly gripping his ribs.

"Do you want to lay down?" Liz asked gently and Donald nodded slowly. Liz helped him to lay down while Red could see how much Ressler fought back the urge to scream out of pain.

"What do you think, how bad is it?" Liz asked gently stroking Donalds good side of the face.

"I will live." He answered a small smirk on his lips.

"Ressler." Liz said with a demanding tone.

"A concussion and some bruised ribs. Nothing too serious."  
"Ambulance is here." Meera pointed out as she entered the scaffolding together with two paramedics. Red and Meera backed away to give them some space but Liz stayed firmly by Ressler's side watching her partner closely.

"We have to take you to the hospital. Your head needs stitches, you have probably fractured some ribs. We need to make sure there isn't any internal bleeding. Your blood pressure is good."  
"I will not go..."

"Ressler!" It was Liz again stopping her partner from speaking out what she had been waited for the whole time. She knew Ressler well enough. She had been waiting for his protest since the minute Red had lowered him to the ground again.

"I will walk to the ambulance." Ressler said as he could see the stretcher already waiting for him. "No Sir you will not. There is a high possibility of internal bleeding so please lay down or we have to sedate you."

"You have absolutely no right to sedate me without my permission." Ressler shot back but just nodded after a look into Liz's face. He knew that she was worried and right now he wasn't trusting his body to much. It wouldn't be good for Liz if he would pass out on his way downstairs. 

"I will ride with you." Liz said as Donald was lowered into the ambulance, hopping into the back with her partner.

"So riding in an ambulance together again huh?" Liz asked after a few seconds of silence. She had watched Donald closely not missing the waves of pain crossing his face, not missing the urge to give into the darkness.

"I am sorry."

"I know you are but this time it was part of the job and nothing that just happened because you where acting like an invincible FBI Agent again."

"So you will not give me a hard time for this?" Donald asked a small smirk on his face.

"No." Liz gently answered gently touching Donalds hand again.

"I just hope you will be okay soon."

"As I said. I will live."

Liz couldn't hide her surprise as Red finally entered the waiting area where she was waiting desperately for any news on Resslers condition. She was afraid of any internal bleeding. She knew that Ressler had been awake and responsive for the whole time but she didn't trust him. Ressler was harder then any other human being she had ever met before.

"What are you doing here?" Liz asked as Red took the seat beside her.

"I am waiting for news on Agent Ressler."

"Why?" Liz continued to ask now facing Red.

"Because you deeply care for him Lizzie. And if you care for him as a partner, as a friend or maybe as a man I care for him too." Red pointed out a tinny smile playing on his lips. He could see the reaction in Lizzi's face, he could feel that she was about to protest and as she remained calm he nodded slowly. She knew perfectly fine what she was really feeling for Donald on her own.


	7. Lost (1x05)

Hello!

A very big thank you to all your comments. I really really loved them but I think you already know that :o)

So here is the new chapter. I picked episode 1x05 The Courier. Ressler is so damn hot in this episode that it's difficult for me to find the right words ;o) So here we go with chapter 7.

Hope you guys will like it. Again some changes and fiction like in chapter 6.

One word before I start...I got this episodes in German and I have to translate the things they said in English...it's really difficult for me...so if it's not the original dialog...I am sorry. Trying my best here.

This chapter actually turned out longer than I thought it would so...have fun ;o) First time without the word concussion. HIHA ;o)

**Chapter 7 – Lost**

"I am going in as the Courier." Ressler said getting Liz to look at him for a second. She knew that they where running out of options and that Seth was running out of time but still she couldn't handle the feeling that was forming in her gut when she thought about the fact, that Ressler was stepping into so much danger.

"Are you ready?" Liz asked as Ressler walked towards her, dressed chic but casual, his hair a little messy. She had to admit that he looked so handsome but with a little note of danger.

"Attention to all Teams, our Agent is entering the club." Liz said into her comm. link. She was sitting in a van nearby with Meera by her side. As Ressler was undercover she was in charge of the whole operation together with Meera which even made it more difficult for Liz to think straight.  
She had agreed to communicate directly with Ressler while Meera handled the other units.

"I want to see Deschanbo." Ressler said as he walked straight towards on of Deschanbo's man.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Get back in the line." The man answered, his voice telling that he wouldn't mess around.

"You have to get the crowd to pay attention. Hurt him. That's what the Courier would do." Keen said. Ressler had to smile a little. She was so good in reading and profiling people but when it got to herself she was far away from being secure.

"I think we didn't have a good start. Isn't that her? Right over there?" Ressler said getting the man to look away for just a split second but long enough to punch his leg into the man's stomach and beat him up.  
Due to Aram who had hacked himself into the video system and due to a little camera carefully hidden on Resslers shirt Liz and Meera could see every detail perfectly clear on their monitors.

Liz scanned Ressler's face and his body language immediately for any since of pain even if she knew that he was probably alright.

"That was hot!" Meera said dryly getting Liz to look at her.

"You know that he can hear you?" Liz asked not believing that Meera had just spoken out what she was thinking for the whole time. He wasn't just looking hot, his whole behavior was damn sexy.

"Yes." Meera said and Ressler had to smile. It was nice to hear these two woman interact about him like that. Which man wouldn't like that?

He was escorted towards Deschambo's office and Liz could see the change in Resslers body language as he started to talk to her. His whole body was completely alert. Liz could hear that Ressler was picking his words carefully. They had talked about the Courier before and Liz had given him some advise. Until now nothing made her believe that Deschambo was not believing him to be the real Courier.

"They say you don't feel pain. Prove it." Deschambo said and Keen immediately hold her breath. They hadn't thought about that before. She knew that his cover would now be blown. Without hesitating a second Meera informed the Teams but stopped as Ressler broke a glass stretching down his arm.  
"Is this what you need? You want to see me bleed? See if I react. I have lost the only thing I have ever loved. I've got nothing in this whole world expect the job. " He said cutting himself with the glass without wincing, without giving away just a tinny piece of the pain he had to feel.  
Liz tried her best to stay calm but she was feeling the pain Ressler had to feel too. Her eyes where not leaving his face and her ears where listening closely to his words.

Liz inhaled a little to fight back the tears that where building in her eyes. She could see the change in his eyes, he looked sad, lost and she had to swallow. He was clearly talking about himself. Nobody said a word but soon the situation turned as Deschambo told Ressler that his cover was blown.

"Get out of there now!" Liz said panic raising in her voice. He needed to get out of there now. Liz could see the guns that where now pointing directly at Ressler.  
"All teams get in there now! Agent in danger!" Liz nearly screamed into her comm. link. She knew that it was Meera's job but she couldn't hold it back any more. Ressler was in danger, they had to do something.

Liz could see that Ressler started to fight against one of the gunman. She knew that he was more than capable of but with the wound on his arm, his emotional situation and the amount of people and guns the situation was more than bad for him. Liz closed her eyes as she heard shots ringing out. She couldn't stay in this van any longer. Ressler needed her and she had to get him out of there, no matter what.

Liz jumped out of the van with Meera closely after. It took Liz a few brief moments until she spotted Ressler at the side of the building.

Ressler was leaning against the wall breathing heavily. The adrenaline was rushing through his body so he didn't feel any pain from the gashing cut in his arm. He knew that he had cut himself way to deep. His inner demons had made their way to the surface without any warning. As he had cut himself he had felt relieved, the words he had spoken giving away what he was feeling, what was going on in his mind. The pictures and the memories where still hunting him, making him feel unstable, vulnerable and emotional. He knew that he had to get in check of himself. It was just something he did for an undercover mission. It was not real.

"Ressler!" The sound of Keen's voice snapped him out of his dark thoughts and back into the real world.

"I'm good." He said immediately stepping away from the wall he had needed so much for support. His legs where still shaky but he tried his best to put the barricades that where always surrounding him back up. Liz didn't need to see him like that. Not here. Not now.

He could feel her look on his face. She was inspecting him. Liz was a profiler, a damn good profiler. He knew that she was suspecting something, that she was searching for answers. He knew that she was just about to read him like an open book. He had to stop her.  
"Did we get Deschambo?" Ressler asked moving towards the van.

"Yes we got her. Let me take a look at your arm." Keen said and for the first time Ressler looked down at his arm too, holding on in his movement. The blood was floating down his arm and dripping down his hand towards the floor. There was a lot of blood. Damn how deep had he just cut himself? Blood wasn't something Donald Ressler could stand easily, not if it was his own blood.  
"Damn it Donald!" Keen said as soon as she recognized all the blood too. What had he just done to himself?  
"You need to get stitches." Keen pointed out slowly wrapping an arm around Ressler's waist, guiding him towards a nearby porch. They had to stop the blood flow.

"Just sit tight I am back in a second." Liz said before running towards the van.

Ressler looked down at his arm before quickly looking away. How could he be such a baby when it came to his own blood. If Keen had recognized that too? The blood was slowly dripping to the ground, leaving a small spot on the cement.

Keen approached just seconds later with the first aid kid tiny in her grip. She kneeled down in front of Ressler stretching his arm out and lowering it on his lap before unpacking the first aid kid. She knew that Ressler had already lost a great amount of blood and even if it wasn't live threatening she was afraid of all the blood seeking from a wound he had just done to himself.

"Okay, this should make it until we get to the hospital:" Liz said looking down at the bandage she had just wrapped Resslers arm up with.

"I don't need to go to a hospital. Seth is running out of time and…."

"And you are running out of blood soon." Keen made her point perfectly clear.

"It's not that bad." Ressler said but Keen just gave him one look that made him go silent. He knew that he couldn't mess with her when she got him that look.

Ressler got up from the porch swaying slightly to the side but enough for Keen to recognize it immediately. She wrapped an arm around Donald's waist steadying him.

"You okay? Donald talk to me. You will not pass out on me right?"

"No. I'm….I'm good." Ressler answered beating himself up for letting her see him like that. He still felt miserable but he knew that it wasn't the cut and that it wasn't the blood lose it was the memories and the demons hunting him. He had buried them so well but today, in there, everything went south leaving him like this.

Liz guided him towards the SUV where he took the place in the passenger seat.

"Hold your arm up, it will stop the blood flow.", Liz instructed him and Ressler just glanced at her. He knew that all by himself but still he felt like she had to tell him what he had to do because he was loosing it internally.

"We need to find Seth." Ressler said trying to get his mind back on the case, back on the only thing that really mattered in his life: his work.  
"What you told Deschambo…." Liz started and Donald knew where she was going. She had seen it, she was feeling it.  
"I was undercover. I said what I had to say." He said quickly but he could feel Liz gaze on his face.

"If you want to talk about it I am here for you." She said and Ressler turned around to face her.

"There is nothing to talk about. I was just saying what I had to say."

"No you where not and we both know that. I will not bother you. You decide when it's the right time and if I am the right person to talk to okay? I just want you to know that I am here for you no matter what."

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. That's what partners do, right?"

"Right." Donald said before turning around to look outside the window again. He couldn't stand her eyes just for a second longer. He knew that if he would ever talk to anyone about it, it would be her because for the first time in all this years he felt like he could completely trust a person and he knew that he could give up his barricades on her because she would never judge him for the things he would say and for the things he was feeling.

"I still can't believe that a tough guy like you gets into trouble when it comes to his own blood." Liz pointed out. She needed Ressler to stay with her. Even if she wasn't aware of what exactly was going on in his mind she could see and feel that he was pretty shaken. The fact that Ressler had cut himself without even giving away a tiny bit of emotions and pain let her know that he had been in a lot of pain before. She knew that it had been a painful world Ressler had slipped into as he had cut himself. The cut was deep and the fact that he had been able to talk to Deschamboo told her that it felt like relieve for him to cut himself.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Ressler said. How could she know that? He had never told anybody and he was pretty sure that he had never ever given any signs that he couldn't stand his own blood.

"I know many things."

"Stop profiling me."

"I am not profiling you, I care for you and I already told you that. With every minute we spent together I get to know you a little better and that is one thing I know since our first case. Your own blood is a problem for you." Ressler had to smile and Keen was relieved to see the smile on his face. This was exactly why she had pointed out the blood thing. She needed him to talk to her, to trust her and she needed him to feel better, to leave the demons behind until they had solved the case. With Ressler breaking down now she knew that there wasn't a big chance to find Seth alive.

"Oh come on, you can't stand your own blood too." Ressler pointed out.

"Of course I can't stand my own blood. I mean who can? It's just the fact that you always pretend to be the poster-boy-FBI agent."

"I am not pretending that. I even told you more than once to stop calling me that."

"Than stop behaving like you are." Keen answered with a smile parking the car in a free space not far away from the main entrance.

As they stepped inside the ER Liz was glad to see that some colour had returned to Donald's face. "Agents Keen and Ressler. My partner needs to get attended. Now. He got a deep wound on his arm and he had lost a lot of blood." Keen made her point perfectly clear as she talked to the nurse behind the desk.

"Of course. Get straight into Room 3." The nurse said without hesitating.

"Nice." Ressler had to admit. He liked it when she got this demanding tone in her voice.

"Learned from the best." She said slowly guiding Ressler towards Room 3. She still had one hand on his back not fully trusting his state.  
"You don't need to actually be in here with me." Ressler pointed out as Liz got comfortable on a chair near the gunnery Ressler was sitting on.

"It's all part of the partners taking care of partners program." Liz still tried her very best to get Donald to lighten up again. She needed him on the case, needed his mind completely focused.

"I never attended that."

"I know but I did and so I will stay by your side or do you really want me to wait outside?"

"I think they will not ask me to strip down to my underwear so...no you can stay in here if you want to." Ressler shot back. Actually he was more than thankful that she was not leaving his side. It felt good to talk to her in this lightly manor. He knew that he would probably start to beat himself up when he had to be alone after everything that had made it's way towards the surface again.  
How much he loved Liz in this moment. As a partner, as a friend, as a woman. She was just staying by his side, no matter what and without any questions asked.

Ressler needed at least six stitches before the doctor bandaged his arm properly.

"I want to run some tests. I heard you lost a lot of blood." The doctor continued but Ressler was already back on his feet, getting his shit back on.

"There is still enough running through my veins, I promise."

"Any dizziness, headache? Do you feel light headed? Is there..."

"Doc I am fine. I really am. My partner here will have a close eye on me." Ressler said towards Liz. "I promise." She said before getting up herself. She knew that they had to go. Seth was running out of time and she would nonetheless watch Ressler closely for the rest of the day. Not only because of the blood lose.

"I need to know the truth. Are you feeling any of those symptoms the doctor just told you?" Liz asked before they got inside the elevator at the Blackside.

"No. I am good. I promise. If I am not feeling well I will tell you."

"You promise?"

"I promise." Ressler said before touching Liz arm for a second. He squeezed it lightly before the elevator came to a stop. He was so thankful for her support and he didn't want her to worry any longer. He was going to be okay. He always was.  
Liz tried to protest as Ressler paired up with Meera to search a caravan in the woods where the Courier was suspected while she had to sort all the informations they got together with Reddington. She knew that it was the only way to find Seth but she was just too worried about Donald and his current state.

Keen listened up as she could hear Resslers voice over the comm. Link.

"To all units: We found the suspects car..." Keen widened her eyes as she could hear the shots ringing over the comm. Link. Not again. Not today.

"Ressler talk to me. Ressler. Meera. Status." She begged closing her eyes. Why wasn't she by his side? Why was he in the line of fire again? Was he able to think straight? Would Meera save him if he was stepping into danger again?

She heard the shots from an FBI weapon but still there was no one talking, nothing on the comm. Link. No sign that Ressler was alright.

"Lizzie are you okay?" Reddington asked as he could see that all colour had left Liz's face.

"Come on Donald. Please." She begged silently and Reddington knew what was properly going on. Ressler. She was worrying for him again.

Minutes felt like hours until she could finally hear his voice again, telling them that the Courier was on the run once again.

"Everything alright with Donald?" Red asked as he could see Liz's face soften again.

"The Courier is dead." She said before realizing that this wasn't a good thing. Now there was no one who could tell them where Seth was. Ressler was save. She had to concentrate on finding Seth sorting out the facts together with Reddintons genius mind.

Keen exhaled deeply as Seth was finally on his way to the hospital, save and nearly unharmed. "You saved his life Keen. You really did an excellent job." Ressler said as soon as he had approached next to her.  
"Thank you."

"I am just telling the facts."

"Do you want to celebrate?" Keen asked after a brief moment of silence looking into Ressler's puzzled face.

"Come on let's grab a bear or two. We really had a hard day." She said guiding him towards the car a hand gently touching his back. She knew that she needed to go home. She knew that Tom was waiting for her, that they needed to talk but right now she knew that Ressler needed her too.

As a partner.

As a friend.


	8. Save (1x18)

Hello everybody!

Thank you again and again for your comments. This chapter is not going to be that long because the scene is not giving away that much but I like it and that's the reason why I had to write about it. Hope you have fun and leave a comment.

**Chapter 8 – Save (1x18)**

Liz jumped out of the car as soon as it came to a hold at the cemetery. Ressler was standing behind the SUV together with Meera.

Liz took in the situation quickly. Bobbit had a bomb striped to his body while he was holding Osbourne at gun point.  
"Negotiator is an route." Liz told Ressler and Meera and was relieved as she was finally standing beside Ressler. She had told Dembe to speed it up so she could jump into the SUV and get to the scene as fast as possible. She didn't want Ressler to be here alone.  
After everything that had been going through his mind lately he was finally back to his normal self again, even if he still hadn't talked to Liz about the things that where bothering him. She had promised to not beg him and she had hold her promise.

Meera explained the situation to Keen quickly. They wouldn't need a negotiator. All they needed was to get Osbourne out of the line of fire. The SWAT Teams where in position but they all knew that they couldn't shot. The bomb would detonate no matter what they would do.

Ressler looked over to Bobbit. He wanted to die and he could understand what he was going through. Ressler got himself a second before he got into action.

"What are you doing?" Meera asked but he just gently guided her away

"Ressler!" It was Liz's voice. She was afraid, he could hear that. It was the reason why he hadn't looked at her, why he had hurried to get away from her. He had to do this. He had to give Bobbit his peace no matter what would happen to him.

Ressler made his way towards Bobbit quickly, his gun still in his hand.  
"Stop! No more steps further. Don't come any closer!" Bobbit screamed and Ressler could feel all eyes on him. It was dangerous and he knew that Liz was going to give him a hard time because of it but he needed to do this. Needed to set Bobbit free from all of his inner demons.

"I swear to good, you take one more step!" Bobbit pointed out, holding up the detonator. Ressler knew that he would get seriously harmed or even killed if Bobbit would set off the bomb now. Ressler stretched his arms out to show Bobbit that he was hearing him.

"Stay calm Mister Bobbit." Ressler said before holstering his gun.

Liz couldn't believe what was going on, what Ressler was doing. Had she been so wrong with her opinion that he was finally feeling better? How could he risk his life again? She knew that he would possibly get killed if Bobbit would push the detonator now. Liz tried to lower her breathing but the panic was still rising. She needed Ressler to be save, she needed him to come back into the safe distance. Liz had to fight hard to not call out his name again, to not walk over to him so she could drag him away from the danger right in front of him.

There wasn't just the bomb, Bobbit was armed too.  
"Is he wearing his vest?" She asked towards Meera. Maybe the vest could hold back some of the impact.

"No." It was a soft whisper and Liz knew that Meera was going through the same thoughts in her head. Ressler was a close friend of her, she cared for him too.

"Frederick Osbourne you are under arrest." Ressler said getting the cuffs out of his pocket.

"What?" Osbourne asked not believing what Ressler was just telling him.

Keen and Meera shared a quick look and Keen made a mental note to never think that Donald Ressler couldn't read people like she could. After this move everything started to make sense in her mind, why hadn't she figured this out earlier?

Ressler told Osbourne his rights while cuffing him but he was still silently glancing at Bobbit through the corner of his eyes. He knew that they had reached a dangerous point now. Bobbit could now escalate at any second.

"What is happening?" Bobbit screamed. He was clearly on edge now.  
Ressler continued by telling Osbourne why he was under arrest but Osbourne hesitated to understand what was going on.

"You can't arrest ME!" He said.

"We know all about the clinical trials. The people who died." Ressler pointed out, fighting back the urge to get away from Bobbit and the bomb.

"What about him? You should arrest him." Osbourne said nodding his head towards Bobbit.

Ressler now looked at Bobbit closely searching for any prove of his theory.

"I am not leaving!" Bobbit pointed out and made the last remaining bit in Ressler believe that Bobbit was about to blow himself up. He could just hope that they would be long gone before it happened.  
"I don't think Milton has any intention on being arrested today." Ressler said towards Bobbit, showing him that he was understanding what was going through his mind, what he was about to do. He used his first name to silently beg him to let them step away first, to not take them with him.

Ressler walked away together with Osbourne as slow as his mind was allowing him. It was hard for him to not run but he knew that Bobbit would detonate the bomb within a second if he would show him his fear.

Liz inhaled deeply as Ressler made his way towards them with Bobbit. She knew what was about to happen and she couldn't stand the fear any longer.

The sound of the explosion made Liz duck behind the SUV out of instinct.

Ressler's feet lost the ground he was just walking on as the bomb finally detonated. The detonation threw him forward and he crashed onto the grass not to lightly, debris and stones colliding with his body like rain that was falling from the sky. The adrenaline that was rushing through his body was to much to feel any pain. Ressler pushed himself up just a little and turned around where Bobbit had been standing. He was gone.  
Ressler breathed heavily and slit to the ground again looking over to Liz. She was save, that was all that mattered right now. He could see her face, she was relieved but still deeply worried.

He had to go towards her, tell her that he was alright. Ressler got to his knees slowly stretching an arm out for the arrested Osbourne who was still lying flatly on the ground.

As soon as her body allowed her to react again, Liz jumped to her feat trying desperately to see Ressler in all the dust and the debris raining down. As she spotted him she could see that he was already searching for her too. She couldn't remain in her spot just a second longer. Without hesitating she ran towards her partner together with Meera.

"I take him." Meera said as she spotted Ressler still holding onto the arrested Osbourne.

"Donald." Liz said before getting to her knees beside her partner, who was still on his knees as well. His whole back, his hair, everything was covered with earth, dust and little stones.  
"I am alright." He said resting his arms on his legs again. Still he was a little out of breath and Liz knew that he was fighting back the adrenaline that was rushing through his body.

"That was outstanding." Liz said getting Donald to look at her.

"I knew that he was going to kill himself."

"I hadn't figured everything out until you arrested Osbourne. How could you be so sure?"

"I wasn't."

"Then why the hell where you stepping towards a clearly unstable man with a bomb on his chest and a gun in his hand?" Liz asked and Donald could now hear the anger in her voice. He could understand her. If she had done what he had just done he would have given her a pretty hard time too.

"It was just an instinct."

"Than I am worried about you." Donald looked at her with a puzzled look on his face.

"My instinct was to get as far away from this bomb as possible. I know that you love to do your job but this was far away from just doing what needs to be done. You weren't even wearing a vest! What the hell where you thinking?"

"I wanted to let him go in peace." Donald pointed out getting Liz to widen her eyes. She knew that there was a way deeper meaning and way deeper thoughts behind this words and behind Donald's actions than she had first thought of.

"You need to talk to someone!" Liz said after a few minutes of silence.

"I know." Donald just told her back before getting up with Liz's help.

"You sure you are okay?" Liz asked as she could see the hint of pain in Donald's expression.

"Yeah, just a little bruised."

"Remind me of a day where you were not bruised?" Liz answered, before picking some grass and little stones out of Resserl's hair. As she brushed her hands over his back Ressler winced lightly, begging away from her touch.

"You okay?" Liz asked full of concern.

"Yeah. That was just the spot where a really big stone collided with my back.

"You want me to have a look?"

"No. Maybe later. We have to finish up here first." Donald said but Liz was holding him back by gently touching his arm.

"Are you going to talk to me?" She asked looking into Ressler's lost eyes deeply.

"I will." He promised before marching towards the SUV.

She needed to make sure that he was okay not only for him but for herself too. If he had been able to read Bobbit like that and connect with Bobbit's thoughts in the way he had just did he clearly had been at this point before too. Liz exhaled deeply. He was too important for her to just let him slip away that easily.

As a partner.

As a friend.


	9. Pain (1x09)

Hello guys!

Thank you again for your amazing comments! Don't have much time so here is the new chapter...and now I want to hear an extra WHOHO because...it's Anslo Garrick Chapter 1...

:o) Yes rebeccabraxton I got your hint in the last comment and I finally just did it.

Have fun reading it. I am excited to read what you are thinking about my take on the episodes. As I said before the story is more about the "aftermath" but not this chapter...

Changed a little bit as usual.

**Chapter 9 – Endless pain**

Ressler couldn't believe the intensity of the pain. How could someone be in so much pain? How could he be in so much pain? He tried to blink away the dizziness looking into Red's face. Was he just dreaming? Was all of this real? How could it be that his worst enemy was now the one fighting to save his life. He had donated him blood. Reddington's blood was now floating through his veins. Donald would have laughed about it but the pain was just to much to take and despite all the pain he was just facing death. He knew that he was running out of time. Red couldn't give him any more blood and his wound was more and more poisoned by the not to clinical surroundings. He would die.

Right now.

Right here.

Ressler had always thought about the fact that he could get killed on duty and it had always been a peaceful thought. Dying for a good reason, for the one thing that mattered all in his live. But now, now where he was facing it he wasn't convinced that this was the way he really wanted it to happen. He was lonely and despite his colleges there would be no one who would actually miss him. He couldn't go like this. He wanted a family, he wanted a wife, he wanted to tell her what he was really feeling for her.

"We will not get out of here alive." Ressler said, speaking out his true thought. His voice was calm but his heart was full of angst.

"Oh I think we will."  
"How?" It was just a whisper. He couldn't speak it out loud. There was no hope, there where no options left. He had thought everything through.

"Have you ever sailed across the ocean Donald..." Red began and Ressler just looked to the celling, nothing but metal greeting him. But with Red's words it wasn't the celling he was looking at, it was the ocean, the great blue of the ocean. Ressler started to loose himself in Red's words, slipping into his own world of things he wanted to do before his day came, before today. He thought about his family, the dark secrets that where surrounding his whole life, he thought about Liz and he could see her smile, he could see her beautiful and loving eyes on him. He could hear children laughing while he was sitting on a porch on his veranda, sharing a great wine together with Liz, he could see the sun in the threes, he could feel the sun on his face, the wind on his cheeks, he could feel the peace of this moment. Red's voice got back into his mind, he wanted to sleep too but he knew that if he would sleep, he would never wake up again, he would never sit on his veranda, he would never feel the sun again, he would never see Liz again. Donald could feel the tears falling from his eyes. He hadn't cried since he had been a little kid, but right now he felt sorry, sorry for how his life had went until now, sorry for the things he hadn't done and sorry for the things he would never do. He was afraid. So deeply afraid.

"Donald!" Red snapped him back out off his blur. Ressler tried to focus but waves of pain made him cry out in agony. He could feel Red's fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse. Donald knew that with anyone else in here he would be dead by the time. Red had done an amazing job by treating him. Hopefully he would be able to thank him for that one day.

Ressler's pain filled mind snapped towards Liz, how glad he was that she had been late again. He had hated it before. The job was to important to miss debriefs in the morning but Liz had her own rules and no matter how often he had told her to be at the Blackside on time every now and than she just showed up late. Ressler knew that she had a lot going on in her private life. They had talked about that more than once and Ressler could only smile when he thought back to this times. They had spend hours drinking and talking about their lonely and lost lives. They were so similar and yet so different.

They were perfect for each other. He had told her that. Just yesterday evening but she had just brushed it off with a laughter. Ressler could not tell if she had thought about the fact that he could be serious but he wasn't angry or disappointed about her reaction. He knew that she had Tom and that was all that mattered. Even if he would die in here right now she had her husband she could lean onto despite every problem, despite every crisis.

Ressler knew that Tom wasn't good for Liz, he knew that there was something going on with Tom. He had told her more than once to protect herself but he couldn't just drag her away from him. He knew that Red was watching over Liz, no matter if he was about to make it or not. Ressler knew that, to Red, he was just an object, another Agent he had to deal with but Liz, Liz was the person he cared for deeply. If he would die now, in here, he knew that Red would save Liz from everything that was properly waiting for her.

Ressler could feel the darkness longing for him. He was afraid to close his eyes, afraid to let his body rest. He was afraid to not wake up again but this time he couldn't fight it back. Red had just pressed the knife into his leg. He couldn't stand the pain any more.

The next thing Ressler realized was the pain. Again. Put this time the pain had even gotten more intensity. And after he had opened his eyes he couldn't figure out what was happening. Why was Red hurting him now? What should the anxious look on Red's face tell him?

Ressler tried to focus as Red begged him again to give away the code. Why should he do that? His job was to protect Red even though Red was just protecting him, saving him from death. As he felt the barrel of the gun against his neck Ressler looked into Red's eyes with a puzzled look and for the first time he could see something like panic in Red's eyes. He knew immediately that this wasn't about them but the pain and the blood loss made him unable to figure out what was just going on.

"You saved me for killing me now?" Ressler asked, his voice sluggish. He couldn't handle all of this any longer. He had passed out before but the pain Red had made him feel had snapped him back into the real world immediately. Red helped him to sit up and Ressler could feel the shock in his system as he spotted Liz, kneeling in front of Anslo Garrick, a gun pressed to her head.

She was looking directly into his eyes, begging him silently to not give away the code, to let her go. Ressler could feel his body shaking, out of shock, out of pain, out of blood loss, out of the pure imagination of loosing her today. He knew that Garrick would kill him immediately if he would give away the code but he needed to save her. He could hear the order of Cooper to not give away the code. He had never overstept any order, never….until now.

"If you can't save her you are nothing to me!" Red said and Ressler knew that his words where true. He was the only one that could save now and he would save her, even with giving away his own life.

"Romeo. The code is Romeo." Ressler said before laying back down. There wasn't any strength left in his body. He was about to die so he closed his eyes, thinking about the words Red had spoken to him before. He knew that Red was going to die too so he just looked at him quickly, his eyes giving away all the things he wanted to tell him. He could feel Red's hand on his shoulder before he stepped away from him but there was something else Ressler could feel. Red had left him the gun. Ressler closed his eyes again for a brief second. How should he be able to protect himself and anyone else in his shape? He inhaled deeply. He knew that he had to be strong now, that he had to fight now, maybe for the last time in his life. He had to protect Liz, no matter what.  
Ressler knew that Red was aware of the feelings he had for Liz, he knew that this was the reason why Red had saved him in the first place. He had thought about a way how he would ever be able to thank Red and he knew exactly that it was now or never.

Ressler watched through the corner of his eyes how Red got cuffed by one of Garrick's man. He pressed himself up onto his elbows again before firing the gun Red had left him, killing Garrick's man and better than that, saving Liz.

As soon as he could see that all attackers where down he crashed back onto his back, trying hard to stay awake for just a bit longer. He wanted to see her alive and healthy. He wanted to tell her what he was really feeling.

It didn't take long until he could feel her hands on his cheeks. She was crying and even if he tried his best to open his eyes again he just wasn't able to. He had definitely put every bit of energy left in his body into killing Garrick's man, into saving Liz.

"Ressler. Oh my god Donald. Just look at me. Donald please. You can't just leave me here. No please no. Not like this." Liz said through her tears slapping Donald's face to try and get him awake again.

She couldn't believe that it was all Donald's blood covering the floor. There couldn't be much left. Liz hadn't believed that Red had really donated blood, that he had shared his blood with Ressler, without any questions asked. She just knew that she was thankful for everything he had done to save Donald's life. Liz just looked at Ressler's leg for a second. She couldn't stand to see the wound. She knew that it was bad and from that split second she knew that she had to pray that they could save his leg at all. But that didn't matter to her right now. He needed treatment right now otherwise he would just pass away right here. Liz could feel the pulse on his neck getting weaker.

"Paramedics are here." Cooper announced as soon as he had spotted the coloured uniforms.

"Keen I need you on this." Cooper said after watching his agent for a second. Liz just quickly looked at him before turning back towards her fallen partner. She knew that Ressler would want her to continue on this. She knew that he would do the same.

"Fight Donald. Don't you think about leaving me here." She said before she brushed her tears away with the palm of her good hand. They needed to find Reddington. He had donated his live for hers. They needed to save him.

Liz and Meera had promised to keep each other updated and every hour one of them was calling the hospital for any news on Ressler.

"Anything yet?" Liz asked as soon as she entered the Blackside again.

"Still in surgery. Four hours and counting." Meera said and Liz could hear that she was deeply worried too for her friend.

"Ressler is a tough guy. He is going to fight." Liz said trying to comfort Meera while comforting herself too with those words.

She couldn't even think about loosing him. She needed him.

As a friend.

As a partner.

….to be continued!


	10. Aftermath (1x10)

Wow guys, thank you so much! Your comments really, and I mean REALLY brought tears into my eyes. I read them all over again. Thank you so much! I hope you will like the new chapter. I have a plan now ;o)

This chapter is the aftermath of 1x09, focussing on Ressler's recovery, the next chapter is going to be a sequel to 1x11 The good Samaritan but it's only based on the episode...I will focus on something else...Oh you are asking yourself on what...stay tuned I have something in my mind :o) Hopefully the next episodes will give us some new Ressler whump :o) Otherwise I will have to add it myself ;o)

So have fun reading and thank you again so much for your amazing comments. Can't wait to read more!

**Chapter 10 – Aftermath (1x10)**

After 6 anxious hours Liz finally got a doctor on the phone.

"Agent Keen? This is Dr. Montgromery. I am the surgeon."

"Hello Doktor. How is he?" Liz slit down to a chair nearby. They where still in the middle of searching Reddington. Her emotions where giving her a hard time right now. She was too afraid of the news the Doctor would just give here. Was he alive at all?

"The bullet did quit a fatal damage to Agent Resslers leg but nonetheless we where able to save his live and his leg. We don't know how much mobility he is going to get back but at least we saved his leg." The Doctor said getting Liz to breath out while the tears started to roll down her cheeks. He was alive. It was all that mattered right now. They would work through everything else. Together they would take the road, as partners, as friends.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

3 days after the shooting Ressler was finally back at a normal station so Liz could pay him the visit she had waited for so long.  
Donald was sitting up in his bed as she entered the room carefully. His leg was resting on a big pillow and there was some colour back in his face even if he still looked unlikely pale even for his type.  
"Hey." Liz said entering shyly. It was a big step into Ressler's personal space and she didn't know if he would like her to be there.  
"Hey." He answered with a small smile on his lips. How dearly he had hoped to ever see her again. This beautiful eyes, the smile on her face.

"I am so happy to see you sitting up like this again."

"Yeah me too." Ressler said with a smirk.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I feel like I am out of a thick dust for the first time in days."

"Great pain medication huh?"

"Absolutely."

"How is your leg?"

"Still there." Donald said and now it was Liz who had to smile. He was nearly back to his old self. "I think you will have to do a long recovery right? Did they tell you anything?"

"No it's to early for that."

"I am here for you, you know that, right?"  
"I do. Any news on Reddington?"

"We found Garrick's body but nothing on Reddingtion, yet."

Ressler smiled a little, laying his head back down against the pillow. He pushed the button for his pain medication again, nothing Liz missed.

"How bad is the pain?"

"I'm good."

"Donald please be honest to me. I nearly watched you die right in front of me." Liz said tears now filling her eyes. Donald didn't even think a second before he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. He couldn't see her like that.

"I will be fine." He said his voice calm but steady. Liz just nodded, her lips trembling to hold back a sob.

"Hey! Liz! Look at me. I am right here." Donald said again, squeezing her hand for another time. "Okay." She whispered after a few more seconds before letting go of his hand to get herself a chair next to his bed. She wanted to stay, wanted to talk to him just for a little while longer, just to make sure that he was really going to be okay.

Liz continued to visit Donald every second day of the week. She hadn't told Tom about it at all. She had told herself that she just hadn't told him because she didn't want to worry him about the fact that her partner was shot, in fact she just didn't want him to know that she was spending so much time together with Donald.

Liz could see a change in Donald's face as she entered his room again. He looked pale again, his eyes where bloodshot as he had cried.

"Are you alright?" Liz asked immediately. She was worried. Something was not right.

"Hey. Yeah I'm fine. How are you?" Donald asked. He didn't want to break the news to her, didn't want her to worry, he couldn't stand her pity right now.

"I am worried, you don't look to good. What's going on? Please Don, talk to me." Donald exhaled deeply. Her eyes where longing for the truth. There where so many secrets around her personal life, around her childhood, he knew that she couldn't stand secrets too good...Donald tried to focus for a second. Was it better to keep a secret from her or to tell her what was really going on?

"The Doctor stopped by this morning. They got some tests done yesterday. They don't think that I will get the full mobility of my leg back. In fact they have told me about the possibility that I will need a cane for the rest of my life. The damage the bullet had done to my leg was just to much. Nerves are damaged, the bone is completely replaced." Donald said calmly, not looking into Liz face. He couldn't stand it right now.

"But you are going to prove them wrong, aren't you?" Liz asked, getting Donald's head to snap up and look at her. She knew that Donald was not the type for any pity, he was a fighter and she knew that he was going to fight himself back into his normal life, no matter what the doctors had just told him, no matter how bad the chances where. He had survived all of this without any life threatening blood infection. He was alive and just 2 weeks afterwards sitting up in bed, eating, talking, laughing and about to check into rehab tomorrow.  
"Sure I am." Donald said watching the smile on Liz face. It wasn't the reaction he had expected, it was even far better than the reaction he had hoped for.  
"We will fight Donald!" Liz said, now taking Donald's hand into hers.

"We? As in you and me?"

"Hey we are partners, we are friends, of course I will be by your side literally every step of the way."

Liz couldn't have been more wrong.

The rehabilitation Center Donald was transferred to was not to far away from the hospital so Liz could stop by once a week to check on her partner and his progress.  
As she entered his room for the first time Liz inhaled deeply as she saw him sitting in a wheelchair, looking out of the window, his back turning towards her.  
"I hadn't expected this to be so much hospital like." Liz said while Donald turned his wheelchair around immediately.

"Hey. I haven't expected you here." He said and Liz could see that he was embarrassed.

"I said I would stop by. Should I come back on any other day?" Liz asked, not sure if she had overstepped a line.

"No, absolutely not. It's great to see you." Donald said wheeling himself over to the small table, offering Liz a chair. His leg was stretched out in full length and resting on the footrest of the wheelchair.

"How are you doing?" Liz asked pointing her head towards Donald's leg.

"There isn't much progress, I can't do much of the program because my leg still needs a little more time to heal."

"I see. How is the pain?"

"It's okay. They are doing a great job in here."

"I can't wait until you come back to the job. It's...different without you."

"Yeah? Nobody yelling orders at you, nobody criticizing you?" Donald asked with a smile.

"You got it." Liz answered smiling herself.

She was really missing him and soon she would miss him even more.

After 4 more weeks Liz eyes sparkled as she spotted Donald on the way to his room with nothing but crutches.

"Look who is up again." She said smiling as she could see the glimmer of hope in Donald's eyes. She had been worried after her last visit because Donald really had been depressed over his current situation.  
"I am even allowed to put some weight back onto the leg and until now it's working. It's not much but it's something, right?"

"It's great!" Liz cheered, hugging Donald who was standing right in front of her. As she let go of him just a little, her nose was nearly touching his, she could feel his breath on her cheek. He smelled so good. How much she wished for his strong arms to grab her. She thought back to her breakdown after the whole Stewmaker incident. How he had guided her to the ambulance, how he had catched her from breaking down, how his strong arms had captured her whole body, how he had just hold her, how he had made her feel like she had found the safest place on earth where nobody could ever hurt her anymore, where nothing could ever hunt her anymore.

Liz looked up into Donald's eyes. He was so close. Without hesitating she leaned into the kiss he was giving her, full of passion, full of unspoken feelings and emotions.  
It didn't take long until she could nearly feel the wedding ring on her finger burning into her skin. Tom. She couldn't do this. She was married. She had a husband waiting for her at home right now. A husband that wasn't even knowing she was with her partner at the moment. Liz begged away looking up into Donald's eyes, her own eyes full of shock.

"I am sorry, I...I really am sorry!" He said as he could see the look on Liz face. She was married, they had just let their emotions get into control. This wasn't real. This was nothing that really could happen, Liz had chosen her husband many years ago and Donald knew that she wasn't the type of woman cheating on her husband or breaking the promise she had once given him.

"Me too. Don, we can't...we can't do this. I mean I am married...Tom and..." Liz tried to get it all together, to explain the emotions she couldn't understand for herself at the moment.

"You don't need to explain it. I know." Donald said not surprised as Liz just turned around leaving his room in a hurry.

Donald crushed down onto his bed, his lips still feeling the kiss, his mouth still tasting the fruity arrangement of her lipstick. He knew that they had just made the biggest mistake of their lives even if it had felt so right for just a few seconds.  
To Donald it was no surprise as he got her text message in the evening.

"I am sorry. I can't stop by anymore, I think it's better for us, as partners and as friends. See you back at work. Liz."

He had lost her in so many ways for this one kiss but Donald knew that he would have never take it back even if he could, that he would kiss her again, his feelings where just too real.


	11. Something like back again (1x11)

Hey to everyone.  
Sorry it took me so long to update. I wrote this chapter over and over again and still I absolutely don't like it but I think this is the best it get's and I really wanted to post it so I can focus on another episode and update sooner. I already got something in my mind :o)

I really can't thank you all enough for your great reviews. I LOVED them so much...

I hope you will like the new chapter. 

**Chapter 11 – Something like back again (1x11)**

"Listen up everybody. Ressler just called, he is coming back tomorrow." Cooper announced, getting Liz to look up at him. She hadn't expected Donald to come back so fast.

"I can't believe he is really coming back so soon." Meera said getting Liz out of her thoughts. "Have you talked to him lately?" She asked hoping for any news on his current condition.

"No, it's been awhile. I thought you visited him ever week?" Meera asked surprised.

"There was just too much going on so I didn't find any time you know." Meera just nodded and Liz immediately knew that she was suspicious.

Liz entered the Blackside earlier as usual on the following day. She had brought a little cake and set it down onto Ressler's desk just opposite of her own.

Liz exhaled deeply. There where just so many things going on in her mind. How would it be to see him again? Would he just act like the kiss had never happened, how should she react on her own? Would it be better to talk about it or just skip the subject? Would Ressler need a cane? Was he going to be alright?

"Hey!" Liz head shot up as she heard his voice. She hadn't expected him to come in this early. "Hey!" She said surprised after turning around. There he was, looking like nothing had ever happened to him. Liz eyes went to the cane which Ressler was tightly gripping. She didn't say anything about it.

"It's great to have you back here. I haven't expected you to come back that early."

"Doctor gave me the all clear for some light desk duty."

"Oh that's exactly what you like the most, right?"

"Yeah right. But better than sitting on my couch watching TV all day."

"How's the leg?"

"I still need a cane but it's improving." Ressler said not letting Liz know how bad it really was.

"Donald I am sorry I never stopped by again...it was just...I was..."

"You don't need to explain anything. It's okay. I understand." Donald said before walking over to his desk.

Liz widened her eyes as she saw him walking. He wasn't just leaning on the cane, he was heavily leaning on it. Liz didn't miss the look of pain on his face. It seemed like every step was taking a lot of energy from Ressler. She had expected it to be bad after everything Ressler had told her in rehab, but this was more than bad.

After a warm welcome from all the other members of the Blacklist it didn't take too long until Liz and Ressler where fully involved in a case.

"Ressler, Keen, I want you to check on the husband and the kid." Cooper said before walking away, leaving a stunned Keen and a terrified Ressler behind. Ressler inhaled deeply. He couldn't believe Cooper had just made him go back into the field. Even if it was nothing big this wasn't part of the plan. Ressler had no idea how he should manage to do that.

"I thought you where just back on desk duty." Liz said looking over to her partner.

"Yeah me too."

"Are you going to talk to Cooper about it?"

"No. Let's go."

Liz watched carefully as Donald tried his best to walk beside her on the way to the car. He was clearly in pain and every step was a big effort for him. Liz couldn't even believe that he was cleared for desk duty at all.  
"Anything you want to talk about?" Liz asked after Donald got into the passenger seat exhaling deeply.

"No. Why?" He asked but Liz just shook it off. They had to focus on the case.

As they walked down the long hallway Ressler was even slowing down, pain more and more visible on his face.

"I will talk to the boy." He offered and Liz knew that he wanted to sit down on this bench, she could see that he wasn't able to continue walking for just a second.

The day continued in a whirlwind of events leaving Ressler and Keen no time to pause, to slow down, to relax. Liz could see that it was getting more and more difficult for Donald to keep the pace even if she was careful to not walk to fast even in this hurry.

Liz could see the pressure on his shoulders. Not only from his injury but also from the case itself. She once again made a mental note as she watched Donald talk to the abused kid so handsome, so caring that her heart nearly melted away. He was a far more sensible man than she had ever thought and she could only imagine how he had felt after she had left him behind in the rehabilitation centre without a word spoken.

As they entered the old apartment building to talk to Mr. Wilkinson Keen looked at Ressler who was starring at the steps in front of them with a grim look on his face.

"Listen Donald, you can wait right here. I will talk to Mr. Wilkinson and be back in no time." Liz offered but Donald just grabbed the handle and made his way up the stairs. As they reached the second level he was clearly out of breath, his face even paler than it had been before.

"You okay?" Liz asked just getting a nod from Donald.

"Listen I need you to be honest to me okay? In the field I have to trust you 100 percent." Liz said getting Donald to turn around and face her.

"I will talk to Cooper as soon as we get back to the Blackside but right now we will have to talk to Mr. Wilkinson." Ressler said knowing that Liz was right. It wasn't just his life in jeopardy when something would happen now. He wasn't able to go on pursuit and with his hands shaking like that he wouldn't even be able to take a good shot if necessary. It wasn't fair to put Liz through this at all.

"I'm trusting you. This is not what I wanted to say. I trust you with my life, I am just worried." Liz said but had to calm down as the door in front of them opened. She could feel Donald's look on her face and she could feel her cheeks blushing.

As Ressler entered his Apartment building after his first day back on the job he had to fight to get back into his apartment. The hallway felt endless. He knew that this wasn't a good idea but he hadn't imagined it to be this exhausting and this painful. Ressler was thankful that he had started working on a Friday. Now he had the whole weekend to rest and to figure out what he should do next. Getting back to work hadn't been a good idea no matter how much he had wished for. It was just to early.

Liz had tried to think about something different than Donald and his current situation but all she got was a nearly sleepless night. She had seen the pain on his face. After all she knew that she needed to talk to him, as partners and as friends.

Liz was just about to knock on the door as it suddenly opened. There was an old lady stepping out but what really shook Liz to the bones was the image of Donald. He was sitting in a wheelchair and the look on his face told her that he was as shocked as she was.

"Oh I see you have a visitor here. See you tomorrow Don."

"Yeah. Thanks Rosie." Donald managed to say before he looked back at Liz who was still standing there looking at him with tears visible in her eyes.  
"What are you doing here?" He asked but wheeled backwards to let her step into his apartment. He could see that she was shaken and he knew that she would need answers.

Liz didn't hesitate to follow Donald inside. She needed to talk to him. She couldn't just run away now, she needed to know what was going on.  
"I wanted to talk to you about your current condition and if you really think that it's a good idea to already be back." Liz said.  
"It's a long story. Sit down. Do you want something to drink?" Donald asked. He had thought about his options quickly but right now there was nothing he could do than tell her the truth. He couldn't just stand up and pretend that everything was alright and that there was nothing Liz needed to worry about.  
"No. Please Donald tell me what's going on. I mean...you are in a wheelchair."

Donald exhaled deeply. 

"I am resting up because yesterday really did no good to my leg. I am trying hard to pretend that everything is alright but until that day it's going to be a long way. I don't have much feeling in my leg when I am not doing my exercises in the morning. If I follow them everything is alright. I can walk with a cane and I don't have any problems. You have seen me walking around. It's getting better with ever day but after yesterday I just needed to rest."  
"You are not going make a full recovery are you?" Liz asked not wanting to hear the answer.

"I will. Doctors said my leg is improving much better than they first thought."

"Can I use your bathroom?" Liz asked out of nowhere. She needed to escape the situation for a minute, she needed to focus and to sort all the thoughts that where crossing her mind and she knew that she couldn't stand the image of Donald being so helpless any longer.

"Sure. Second door on the left." He said not surprised of her question. He could see that she needed to back away, that she needed to take a few deep breath. He knew her, as a partner, as a friend, as a woman. Liz had to fight back her emotions really hard once they bubbled their way to the surface. He knew that she wanted to keep calm, to be in control and he knew that she needed the space right now.

Liz closed the door behind her and turned around not ready for the things right in front of her. There was a bathing chair in the shower, a handle on the side of the Toilette. Liz exhaled deeply and tried to fight back the tears that where slowly starting to build in her eyes again. What had Donald been through all these weeks? She had just let him down when he had needed her most. This wasn't right. All of this wasn't right. Liz flushed the Toilette she had never used before she made her way back into the living room where Donald immediately looked at her as she entered again. He could tell that she felt uncomfortable and for the first time since he knew Elisabeth Keen he could see that he was deeply insecure around him.

"I am so sorry I just let you down." She said biting her lower lip.

"You didn't let me down. You visited me and helped me through a lot."

"Yeah but I had no idea of all of….this." Liz said pointing towards Donald.

"I can quickly do my exercises and get back to my feet if you feel more comfortable with that."

"It's not that I feel uncomfortable. I feel…." Liz swallowed. She didn't know how she actually felt She could see Donald grab his leg and quickly made her way towards him, gently touching his hands.

"Don't. Please just rest." Liz said before begging away again. She had crossed the line again. She couldn't touch him like this, couldn't be that near to him when her emotions where overwhelming her. She was married. She had to think about Tom.

"I continue to ask myself how you managed your life here….on your own."

"Oh I've got my neighbour Rosie. You saw her walking out. She's 76 years old but she got me some grocery's when I needed them."

"I should have been here for you."

"Liz you have a life on your own and you need to be sorry for that."

"Yeah but you are my partner, my friend and I didn't even have a clue. Why don't you make a list and I get you all the grocery's you need?"

"Liz you don't need to…."

"Please Donald let me at least do this." Donald exhaled deeply. He could see that she needed to do something and he had to admit that there where plenty of things missing in his cabinet and fridge.

"I will make a quick list."

"Thank you."

"It's odd that you are thanking me for this." Donald said with a smile before wheeling over to get the list he had already done over the weeks, adding some more items to it.

As Liz came back nearly two hours later she was packed with bags and had to get towards the car again to get more bags. Together they stored everything and Donald looked up with a puzzled look as the doorbell rang out again. He hadn't invited anyone else and he couldn't think of another person stopping by expect of Liz.

"Oh it's for me." She said getting Donald to look even more confused.

"For you?" He asked and shook of the warm feeling in his gut. How beautiful this words would actually sound in his apartment if they where real.

As Liz opened the door he could nearly smell his favourite pizza.

"I ordered some pizza. Want to watch a movie?" Liz asked getting Donald to smile.

He couldn't think of anything better than eating pizza and watching TV together with his partner, his friend, together with the woman he liked so much.

He knew that he had a long road of recovery ahead but with Liz by his side he knew that he was going to make it, no matter what.

**Okay I know...far away from perfect but I would be happy if you have some time to leave a comment nonetheless.**


	12. Crashing forward (1x08)

Hey everyone!

I am quite sad that I only got one review for the last chapter...I know it was bad...

I really hope you like this one better and you leave me a review...without them I can't continue writing because I am really writing to know your opinion on it so please...don't let me down I am trying my very best here.

Hope you have more fun with this chapter. It's not a long one I know but I really had to write one for this episode...I changed the story as usual and just used this one scene out of episode 1x08 General Ludd.

So no Ressler whump in the last episodes but Liz showing up at his doorstep...YEAH! I knew it ;o) Got my fingers crossed for some Ressler whump!

**Chapter 12 – Crashing forward (1x08)**

As Ressler had promised his leg was getting better and better with every day they where working together and Liz was more than relived that after 2 more month he wasn't even limping to badly anymore. Still they hadn't talked about the kiss or anything private at all.

Ressler tried to get his mind onto the case, onto finding General Ludd. He was driving way to fast and had to concentrate on the road and the traffic. He needed to focus but he couldn't overhear her conversation with Tom. Her father was ill, she had told him about it but right now it seemed more than serious. He could see the tears in her eyes as he glanced sideways for another time. He knew that she needed some privacy right now, he knew that she needed to talk to Tom and figure out what was happening, what she could do but there was nothing he could do for her, even if he wished he could.

His own cell phone snapped him out of his thoughts and he answered it grumpy. He wanted to pull over, to hug her, to spent her some comfort but he knew that he had to keep focused, for her as well as for the case.

"Are you okay?" The question bubbled out of him even if Liz was still on the phone. He couldn't wait to talk to her, to tell her that he was there for her. Liz inhaled deeply, opening her mouth to talk to her partner, to talk to her friend, to tell him what was going on but as soon as she was about to start everything got back into her visual. She could see how tightly Ressler was gripping the steering wheel, how fast they where going and so she just nodded. She knew that it wasn't the right time, that it wasn't the right place. She had already figured out that they where in pursuit, her own private problems had to wait. Again.

"We got him. He's going to Denver. Flight 1143." Ressler said before looking over to her. He needed to know that she was still with him, that she was still focused on the case. She nodded slightly and he knew that she was far away from being okay and far away from being focused. He would have to cover her and look out for her, right now more than ever.

As they arrived on the scene the police had already secured the area, the plane nearby. Ressler got the car to an abrupt hold and jumped out of it as well as Keen. Without hesitating Ressler started to shout orders, he was in charge now, as usual. The pressure was back on his shoulders. He could hear Liz giving away orders well. She was with him now, she was focused, she had his back too.

Ressler had just looked over at the plane before turning around to Liz as the bomb went off without any warning. He hadn't expected the blast to be that strong. He could feel his body crashing forward and he could feel the heat of the fire on his back. Ressler crashed onto his right arm with full force while glass started to rain down on his body like snowflakes falling from the sky. He needed a minute to focus, to get his body to react but as soon as he saw Liz body right beside him he was moving. She needed to be okay, he had promised himself to keep an eye on her and protect her today more than ever.

"Liz!" He called out while she was already turning around to face him. Her expression was full of shock and what made Donald jump was the look of pain on her face.

"Are you okay?" He asked getting to his knees. He felt a shot of pain but didn't even pay attention to it. Liz. Her well being was all that mattered to him right now.

"I think so." She said and he helped her get back up and into a standing position.

"You sure about that?" He asked blinking away the pain his own body was feeling.  
"Agent Ressler?" One of the man behind him asked, getting Donald to turn around just a little. His arm was on fire but there was no time for this right now. He was in charge, there where a lot of things that needed to be done. A lot of decisions he had to make.

"You are bleeding." The man said getting Liz to face Donald again.

"What?" She asked looking at Donald.

"I'm good." He just said but touched his neck nonetheless. He tried to brush it off as his hand came back with blood but Liz was already in action.

"Turn around." She said with an unusual calm voice. Donald turned around and could feel Liz hand on his neck just seconds after.

"There is a small piece of glass which is piercing into you neck. You need to get to an ambulance, it really needs to be removed." Liz said and Donald could hear the anger in her voice.

"I will live. We don't have time for this." Ressler said grabbing his walkie talkie.

"We need medics on scene now." He said before quickly moving over to one of the police officers.

Liz exhaled deeply. How much she hated him for his behavior in situations like that even though she knew that he was right. There where things that needed to be done right away, there where life's at risk but Donald was clearly hurt. She knew that the piece of glass in his neck wasn't going to kill him but it was just the fact to see him bleeding again. Liz was still traumatized from the shooting. She couldn't stop thinking about it even if she tried hard. She tried to focus on the fact that he was just her partner but right now she could feel that she was lying to herself. Nobody would feel this worried about someone he didn't honestly care for.

The scene was surrounded by the fire department within seconds and Liz got sucked into work too. As she spotted Ressler again nearly two hours had past since the explosion. She watched him from the distance for a second. His face was even paler than normal and his expression told her that he wasn't feeling to good. Liz knew that it wasn't just his possible wounds that where bothering him, he was in charge right here and right now and Liz could only imagine how big the pressure on his shoulders actually was. Nonetheless she could see that he still hadn't been to an ambulance.  
"Donald!" She said after marching over to him. Ressler looked up quickly from the plans he was just looking at. He hissed in pain as the piece of glass in his neck collided with the bottom of his shirt.

"You have to be kidding me, right?" Liz asked her eyes full of anger, full of sorrow.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on you damn sure know what I am talking about. Get your ass towards one of the ambulances or you can be pretty sure I will force you too!" Liz said getting Donald to smile even in a situation like this.

"Agent Keen I am your..."

"Boss. Oh yeah I kinda know that sometimes I think but right now you are my partner and my friend and as a friend I will not hesitate to do what I just told you."

Liz watched with a smile as Donald turned around and walked over to one of the ambulances, getting his neck attended to without any more protest. Her road as partners had clearly started bumpy but right now she could feel that they had reached a great level of working together, despite the private feelings that where bubbling under the surface. 

"Keen? Let's get back to the office, there's nothing the FBI could do right here and right now." Donald said after a few more hours before walking over towards the SUV. His arm was nearly killing him but he knew that Liz was going to kill him if she figured out that he hadn't talked to her about his injuries truthfully.

"How's your neck?" Liz asked, she could see the pain still visible on his face.

"Just a scratch."

"And your leg?"

"Perfectly fine."

"Really?" Liz asked trying to figure out what was really going on.

"Yeah, didn't hurt it at all."

"Donald what's going on?" The sound of her voice and the question itself got Ressler to pause and turn towards her.

"What do you mean?"

"You are hiding something. What is it you are not telling me? You got further injured in the blast right?"

Ressler tried to say something, tried to protest but he was just to overwhelmed by her reading him like that. He was always hiding his feelings so well but towards her it nearly seemed like he had lost this ability completely.

He was just about to talk to her as one of the police officers called out for him.

"Agent Ressler, I need you to sign this form before you leave." He said handing Donald a pen. Ressler exhaled deeply as he tried his best to sign the paper with his bad arm, falling miserably. The pen just crashed to the ground and Donald couldn't hold back a moan anymore.

"Hey, you okay?" Liz asked looking at him even more worried.

"It's nothing."

Liz got the pen from the ground and signed the paper without hesitating. She waited a second until the police officer left them alone before turning around to her partner again.

"Donald please. We've been through so much together so please tell me what's going on." Ressler grabbed the keys out of his pocket before handing them over to Keen.

"I banged my arm up. It's nothing but I have to admit that it just hurts like hell." He said and Liz got the keys out of his left hand.

"Did you give the paramedics a look at it?"

"Yeah. They told me to get an x-ray."

"So it's broken?"

"I don't know. It just hurts like hell."

"Why haven't you told me earlier?"

"Because it's just a scratch and nothing you should worry about, you already have enough on your mind today." Liz exhaled deeply.

"Donald I don't need you to protect me!"

"I know but it's all I can do for you right now." He said truthfully looking into her eyes for just a second.

"Thank you."

"I am here for you anytime you know that, right?"

"I do." Liz said with a smile before looking down at Resslers arm which he was now holding to his chest with his left arm.

"Come on let's get your jacket off and see how bad it really is, okay?" Liz said guiding Donald towards the SUV where she help him with the jacket. He sat down in the passenger seat of the SUV while Liz got his shirt over his arm which was already coloring purple, trying her best to not hurt her partner any further.

"I will get you to a hospital right now." Liz said and Donald exhaled deeply.

"Damn it. We really don't have time for that."

"I will give Meera a call to keep us updated."

Donald leaned his head onto the headrest, closing his eyes, while Liz drove them to the hospital.

"I am always asking myself how you can keep so calm and focused in situations like that." Liz said after a while of silence getting Donald to turn his head a little and face her.

"Someone has to be in charge, it's the job."

"I know but I just realized the pressure on your shoulders." Liz said. She had watched Donald closely and knew that it wasn't only the pain that kept his mind busy at the moment.

"I am always trying to not second guess myself but when there are lives at risk it's difficult."

"You are doing a hell of a good job. If I would ever be in a situation where my life is at risk I would pray for you to be in charge of everything. I trust you Donald, with my whole life." Liz said after parking the car in front of the hospital.

"I do to." Donald said getting Liz eyes to sparkle. He had given her such a hard time at the beginning and to hear these words from him as an Agent and as her partner really meant a lot to her. "Thank you." She said before getting out of the car.

How much she cared for him:

As a partner.

As a friend.

As the person he was.


	13. Stay (1x14)

Thank you so much! You guys REALLY left me speechless after all of your lovely comments. They really mean a lot to me so THANK you to all of you. I would love to write something for every comment but I just got little time and wanted to update as soon as possible. Hope it's okay!

Again no Ressler whump during the last episode...what is going on? Seems like this story is coming to an end soon and YES I will continue with Season 2 if they give us any episodes with Ressler WHUMP again. If you have any episode in your mind or any wishes please let me know!

But I have got a few ideas left so nothing to worry about just yet. Hope you have fun with the next chapter and again a big THANK YOU to all my beautiful readers out there. You are totally the best!

**Chapter – Stay (1x14) **

Ressler looked down from the balcony he was standing on and exhaled deeply. He knew that it was a risk to jump down from this heights especially with his leg but he knew that he had to stop Rasil, that he had to secure the Effigy and whatever content it might hide and so he jumped, without second guessing himself, without thinking of the consequences. That was who he was, how he was working. His work came first and far after that his own well being.

As he landed on Rasil he could feel the burning pain in his leg but he had to focus. How glad he was the cops showed up so quickly to secure Rasil, he knew that he wouldn't have been able to, not at all. He quickly opened the Effigy and closed his eyes for a second as he found it empty. After telling the news over his headset he slowly tried to take a step, falling miserably. His body collided with the wall behind him and he failed as he tried to hold back a scream out of pain. Ressler knew that he had to do something. He slit down the concrete wall and tried his best to get his leg into a comfortable position to get the pain under control again. He hated to show weakness and he knew that his parents where to blame for his behavior. If he had ever shown pain as a child his father had made him feel more of it to show him how real man behave but that was nothing Ressler wanted to think about right now, nothing he could think about. He continued to fight his inner battle whether to pretend that he was alright or to give Liz a call. She was the only person he could be completely honest to and since everything they had been through together he knew that she would be there for him. Of course she would give him a really hard time for jumping but he had to take that risk, he needed help and she was the only one that could help him in his current situation right now.

Ressler got his mobile out of his pocket and dialed her number. He closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath. She would be worried enough.

"Ressler? Why are you calling me?" Liz asked puzzled. They had an open but he didn't want anybody else to hear or to know what was going on with him.

"Liz I need your help." He said and he could hear that she was getting somewhere quieter immediately.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" She asked and he could hear that she was worried. He could even imagine the look on her face right now.

"You know where I took down Rasil, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you please meet me there."

"I am on my way." Liz said hurrying towards Ressler's last known location. She knew that something was really off. Why should he call her? He had told her he needed help. What the hell was going on?

Liz nearly ran towards the spot but stopped in her tracks as she rounded the corner. Her partner was sitting on the cold cement his whole body language showing off the pain he was feeling.

"Donald!" Liz called out and now there was nothing that could hold her back from running towards him before she crashed down right in front of him.

"Talk to me, what's going on?" She said her eyes giving away the panic she was feeling. She knew that it had to be serious because Donald was obviously showing pain. Despite that they where in the middle of a case that he was in charge of but he wasn't even trying to continue or to fight back whatever pain he was in.

"I hurt my leg, it's bad." Donald said looking straight into Liz panic stricken eyes.  
"Where did you hurt it?"

"I jumped."

"You jumped?" Liz asked following Donald's look.

"Oh come on. Don't tell me you really did this?" She continued but knew immediately that it wasn't the right time to lecture Donald. Not right now, not right here, not in the condition he was just in.

"Can you walk?" Liz asked but Donald just shook his head. He had tried it and even the thought of putting pressure on his leg made him shiver.

"Alright. I will call an ambulance."

"No! Liz please I need you to cover me on this."

"You are hurt, you need to get to a hospital."

"I know but if Cooper get's to know anything of this I am out and we both know that. There are a dozen people waiting to get a job like this and if I am not capable of doing what needs to be done than I am going to get replaced." Liz exhaled deeply. She could understand his thoughts completely. "Okay you just stay here and I will try and get the car as near as possible. I will tell Meera that you are off for some private things." Ressler just nodded and closed his eyes again, trying his best to swallow down the nauseous feeling the pain was causing in his stomach.

"You are not going to pass out, are you?" Liz asked as she watched Donald for a second. She was deeply worried about him. He wasn't even fighting it off to go to a hospital. His condition was serious and she knew it.

"I'm trying. It just hurts like hell."

"I will be back in no time, okay? Just keep focused." Liz said before running off towards the car.

A million thoughts where crossing her mind. She knew that Donald wasn't in a life threatening situation but just the fact that he was obviously in so much pain made her feel deeply worried.

Liz tried her best to maneuver the car into the small alley knowing that there was no possibility to get to Ressler's position completely.

Ressler tried to stay focused just as Liz had told him too. He knew that there was a high possibility of permanent damage to his leg but he tried his best to not think about it. He had to be okay.

As he heard her footsteps again he looked up just to see her running towards him again.

"I can't get any further, we have to walk towards the car."  
Donald closed his eyes for a second. She was right, there was no other option.

"Come on, on the count of 3, I will hold you up, just lean on me." Liz said slowly counting to 3. It took her a lot of power to get Ressler into a standing position but with the help of the wall they finally made it. Liz tried to overhear Ressler crying out in pain. She could only imagine what he was just going through.

"That was good. Perfect." Liz said facing Donald for just a second. His face was ghostly pale, his skin covered with sweat. He looked terrible and she could feel her own panic rising.

"Come on, nice and slowly. Just lean on me. We will make it to the car." Liz tried to ensure her partner but after just a few steps she could feel Donald sway beside her. She tried her best to hold onto him but they just crashed to the ground together, making Donald to scream out in pain even louder.

"Look at me! Just look at me!" Liz screamed immediately coping Donald's face with her small hands. He was about to loose consciousness, she could feel the power leaving his body.

"Donald please, stay with me!" She said as she could feel his body gulping. She rolled him to his side just in time as he lost the battle against his stomach. Liz lowered him to the ground again, panic now completely taking over her system. "Donald please talk to me! Come on please talk to me!" She begged, watching relieved as Donald looked straight into her eyes again after blinking away the darkness that had so desperately tried to suck him in.

"I'm good. I am here." He said his voice still sluggish.

Liz set down on her heels closing her eyes for a second. She needed to do something. Donald needed help but there was no way she could get him towards the car.

"Lizzie!" The sudden call of her name nearly made her jump. As she turned around she could see Dembe and Red getting closer. Without hesitating Red knelled down beside Ressler looking straight into the younger man's face before checking his pulse.

"Donald you really need to stop doing things like this!" Red said before looking back at Liz.

"We will take him to a hospital. You have to go back to the job if you don't want Cooper to wounder what is going on with his Agents."

"No!" Liz said looking down at Donald.

"Reddington is right. You have to go back. I promise you I am going to be okay." Donald assured her. Red just laughed out shaking his head after hearing those words.

"You two where like cat and mouse and now you are like lovebirds...who would have ever thought this in the first place?" He said before gesturing Dembe to step closer. Together they pushed Ressler off of the ground, getting him towards their own car which was parked just in front of Keen's SUV. "Keep me posted!" Liz said before getting into the SUV. How much she wished she could go with him right now.

"Any news?" Liz asked immediately as she answered Reddington's call on her phone.

"I want to talk about the case, Agent Ressler is in good hands." Liz exhaled deeply. She couldn't focus on anything else than her partner. The look of pain on his face, his body drifting into unconsciousness, all of this was really giving her a hard time right now.

After finally getting the all clear to leave the Blackside Liz looked at her phone surprised by the message she got to read.

"Meet you at Agent Ressler's apartment. Red."

Liz drove directly to the well know address still looking puzzled as Dembe opened the door after a short knock. Liz entered just to spot Red sitting on Resslers couch.

"Where is he?" She asked her voice demanding.

"Agent Ressler is in bed. We got here two hours ago. Doctor said he's going to be okay. Luckily our little hero just pulled a nerve, no serious damage on his leg. Doctor also said he should stay off the leg and rest for the next 24 hours that's why we are still here and gave you a call. I thought you wanted to do this personally. He's asleep due to the pain medication." Reddington explained getting his head back onto his head.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome Lizzie."

Liz silently made her way into Ressler's bedroom, finding him fast asleep just as Reddington had told her. She tucked the blanket over his shoulders before getting herself a chair, sitting down right next to Ressler's bedside. How glad she was that he had just pulled a nerve, it could have been much worse and they all knew that.

As Donald awoke late in the evening he widened his eyes as he spotted her sitting on a chair next to his bedside.

"Hey!" She said smiling at him.

"Hey!" He answered slowly sitting up in bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Reddington told me what the Doctor had said. I am staying here for the next few hours until you are better again."

"Liz you don't need to do this."

"I know but I am! End of discussion."

"We didn't even had a discussion." Donald pointed out getting Liz to smile.

"See? As I said, end of discussion."

"What about Tom?"

"I called him." Donald just nodded, not asking if she had told him where exactly she was staying or what exactly she was doing.

"How are you feeling."

"A lot better. Doc set everything back into place, it felt better immediately. I am still a little sore but nothing to the pain I felt in that damn alley. I really thought I got shot all over again."

"Yeah, I could see that."

"I am sorry."

"For what?" "For all of this. I mean putting you in a situation like this and..."

"Let me ask you a question." Liz cut him off. "If we would switch places right now...where would you be?"

"Right by your side." Donald admitted looking down at his hand that Liz gently took into hers. "See? Even if this is nothing partners do for each other, it's what friends do for each other." Donald exhaled deeply. How much he loved her right now, right in this moment.

"Thank you for everything."

"You are welcome." Liz said before getting her hand away. She knew that they had reached a dangerous point again. She couldn't just let her feelings take control over her body again.

"Do you need something? Are you hungry? I could make you something to eat."

"No I am good. Really." Donald said still feeling her touch on his hand.

"Get some rest. I am here if you need anything." Liz offered before walking over towards the living room. She couldn't just spent another second with him in this room without risking her marriage again. Liz knew that they had to talk to each other but right now there was nothing they could talk about because her own feelings and emotions where giving her a roller coaster ride and she knew that Donald was feeling the same way too. She had seen it in his eyes. As much as they wanted to give in for each other, they where partners, they where friends.

Was it really worth risking all of this?


	14. Jump (1x01) Part 1

Hey everyone!

Sorry it took me so long to update. I am going on holiday at Saturday and had a bunch of things to do before...but I am back with a new chapter and a lot of ideas on my mind.

I am a little disappointed we didn't get any Ressler WHUMP anymore. I really hope the writers will not keep this up next season?!

So here is what's on my mind. I really hope you are still with me and like my plans.

I thought about the Tanida episode a lot and I really wanted to bring it here but I didn't want to bring all this Audrey stuff so I figured something else out.

Ressler is going to be under attack and hides in the woods together with Liz. Could be interesting...right? ;o) I am thinking about posting this as a new story...maybe multichapter. Haven't decided it yet. Your opinions are very welcome.

For now here is the new chapter and I decided to take episode 1x01. I am thinking to make this 2 chapters because there is one more scene in this episode I would like to write about. Maybe later. Don't know...

If you got the episode and a little free time...watch it again. With everything Liz and Don have been through. It's so great to see him smirk when she told him to stay put or to see his expression when she tells Cooper personal things about herself. Loved to rewatch it. Really great chemistry between them in this episode even though I haven't noticed it before.

Here we go again. Hope to hear from you. I am a little nervous because of the lack of updates.

Okay after writing and writing and writing I decided to make this a two shot. Hope I will finish this up until tomorrow. Let me know what you think!

**Chapter 14 – Jump (1x01)**

Donald had to smile as they made their way to the ballet room, where Beth was joining her class.

"I got this." She had said harshly while he had remained in place, smiling silently. He had to think about the things she had told Cooper about herself. The way that college's called her "Sir". He was impressed. They had been through so much as partners, as friends it was more than amusing him to hear her talk to him like that.

"Yes Sir." He said getting her to turn around for a second, her wonderful smile back on her face, teasing and knowing that Donald was trying to lighten her up. Since everything going on with Tom it hadn't been her best day today. She had talked to Donald the whole night long and had been more than grateful to have such a wonderful person by her side. He hadn't asked to many questions, he had just been there for here, comforting her. Liz knew that it had just been one fight but she still was suspicious about Tom. Something was really off and Red always telling her to be careful didn't make it any better. She knew that she loved Tom, this whole situation was just odd.

They had made their way across the streets of DC in two different SUV's. While Donad's eyes never left the rear view mirror, Liz continued to talk to Beth and get her mind off of this whole situation. Liz could see Ressler gesturing for the vehicles to turn around after they had made an unplanned stop at a bridge. She could see the stress on his face. Everyone was on maximum caution right now. Liz had just turned to Beth as all of a sudden all hell break lose. The impact was overwhelming and for a split second she didn't know where she was, if the car was still on the street or if they had already fallen down the bridge.

"Liz!" Ressler screamed as he could see the truck speeding up. He felt paralyzed as the truck slammed into the SUV with full force. He couldn't even close his eyes even if he wished he could. He didn't want to see the crash, he didn't want to see her dying.

"Liz!" He screamed again but before he could even open his door, gunfire filled the air. The glass off the SUV broke into pieces and all he could do was scream out the only possible order right now.

"Take cover!"

Ressler jumped out of the SUV in a second without gunfire, ready to do what ever it takes to get to Liz and to save the little girl.

"Move back!" He ordered the driver. The SUV would spent him some more cover while trying to fulfill his mission and cross the great distance towards Liz.

As soon as Liz had her orientation back she checked on Beth before starting to fire her gun. They where under attack. She had to save Beth. Ressler. Liz closed her eyes for a second. She knew him to well. She knew that he would risk his life right now to save Beth, maybe even to save her. It was Ressler. There was no one by his side stopping him from all the actions he was about to take. Liz could only pray that he was still alive. That he would save them because right now she couldn't do much for Beth.

Ressler continued to fire his rifle, over and over again. Shooting everyone in his way of getting to Liz, defending himself from the bullets that where still flying trough the air. Ressler had started to run out of cover even before he had been sure that there was no one shooting at him anymore. He needed to know that Liz was going to be okay. He ran, faster than his feet could guide him, faster than his leg actually allowed him to. He could see a man with a gas mask standing over the wreck that had once been the SUV Liz had been in. Ressler threw his rifle away, unholstering his gun without slowing down. He knew that he was never failing in shooting his gun and if the attacker really was about to shot Liz inside the SUV he couldn't allow himself any mistake. He fired a shot before the man could fire inside the SUV. Liz. He needed to save her.

Ressler turned around, facing the chemicals that where floating out of the trucks. This wouldn't end good for gods sake.

As he turned around facing Liz SUV again he could see a man inflaming the poisoned liquid that had made it's way across the bridge. He was near the chemical tanks and the fire was getting closer but all of that didn't matter for Ressler. All that mattered was Liz. He could see her climbing out of the SUV in the corner of his eyes. He fired a shot towards one of the man, that was getting off of the bridge. It didn't take long for Ressler to figure out that they brought Beth to a boat. He turned around again meeting Liz eyes for a second. There was blood on her head but despite that she seemed okay. He nodded slowly. He had never been so thankful to see her alive. Ressler knew that even with the exploding Trucks Liz would be save. For him things where slightly different. He made his way onto the balustrade of the bridge before he could feel the burning heat on his back, the backdraft sending him flying over the bridge like a small puppet.

"Ressler!" This time it was Liz screaming for her partner, for her friend. It had took her some moments to get rid of her surroundings again. She had seen him near the chemical tanks. Liz ran towards his last location, looking frantically for Donald. She screamed his name again before tuning around. They where on a bridge. Oh please no. Liz looked down into the water. She could see Beth in the distance but what made her heart stop for a second was the lifeless body of her partner in the water, face down.

"No! Donald!" Liz screamed before turning around. She didn't know what she was actually searching for. There was nobody that could help him right now. Liz looked down once more before taking of her shoes as quickly as possible. She climbed onto the balustrade as well before jumping. She needed to save him.

As soon as her head made it back to the top Liz tried to make out Ressler in the water. She found him just a few inches away, still not moving, face down.

"Donald!" Liz screamed before turning him around, getting all her strength together to keep his head over the water. She searched for a pulse, finding it on his neck. With her ear she controlled his breathing. Nothing.

"No! Donald! No come on. Don't do this to me. You have to breath. Ressler! Breath!" She screamed, tears of panic building in her eyes while she breathed air into his mouth. She knew that she needed to start CPR but they where still in the water and there was nothing she could do for him right now.

"Help! We need help!" Liz screamed before pressing her lips onto his again. He was so cold and his face was so pale.

"Don't leave me Donald. Please don't leave me." She begged before she started to swim towards the solid ground. She needed to get Don out of the water.

After what felt like an eternity Liz could feel the ground underneath her. With all of her strength left she heaved Donald to the grass not taking a second to recover before she started to pump on his chest.

"Breath Donald!" She screamed while pumping down hard. She had quickly checked for broken ribs but getting Donald to breath was now more important than anything else.

Liz covered Don's mouth with her mouth again, breathing fresh air into his system before she started the second round of compressions. Just as she was about to get another blow of air into Donald's mouth Donald started to cough violently before his system started to gulp out the water he had inhaled.

"That's it! Come on get it out. That's it!" Liz soothed, rolling Donald's still limp body to the side. After Donald was done she could feel some strength back in his body and so she let him role onto his back with his own power.

"Are you with me again? Come on Donald, talk to me!" Liz said slapping his cheeks not to lightly. Donald's body was starting to shack violently now. With the water he had swallowed and the time in the freezing water Liz knew that he was going into hypothermia. She felt cold herself, but at least she was moving and her system was working hard against the cold.

"My head. It's..." Donald started, his voice sluggish.

"Don't stop talking and look at me!" Liz said coping Donald's face with her hands.

"That's it. Focus and look at me!" Liz told him once more as Ressler finally opened his eyes.

"The girl?" He asked.

"They got her. There was nothing we could do about it." Liz turned around trying to find a way to get Donald towards an ambulance but soon recognizing that there was nothing she could do.

"We need help!" She shouted towards the people on the bridge, where she could also see a few paramedics. They where possibly trying to figure out how to get towards them too. Liz hurried back towards Ressler who was still shaking desperately, his eyes closed again.

"Hey! I said I want you to talk to me. That's a damn order!" Liz shouted, the level of panic rising in her body. She knew that they had to get Donald warm as soon as possible. His face was ghostly pale, his whole body was shaking violently, his lip had already turned to an unhealthy purple. He had mentioned his head before. Maybe a concussion.

"What is it today Sir?" Donald said slowly, getting Liz to smile for a second as she could see a slight expression of a smile on Donald's face too.

Liz could hear someone shouting but she couldn't make out the words. Just seconds afterward a package dropped just a few inches beneath her.  
"Help is on it's way (helicopter). Get him warm, remove clothes, if your able get fluids in. DON'T LET HIM MOVE OR MOVE HIM!" A note on the top of the package said. It was hand written and clearly in a hurry but Liz appreciated it more than anything else. Help was on it's way and until then it was on her to help Donald, to keep him alive.

….to be continued!


	15. Cold (1x01) Part 2

Okay guys! I didn't want to let you wait for the week with the update. Extra long comments are very appreciated :o) :o)

Have fun!

**Chapter 15 – Cold (1x01) Part 2**

"We need to remove your clothes to get you as warm as possible. Just hold still Donald, okay? Don't move. I need you to be completely still." Liz said relieved to see that Donald was still with her. Barely but his eyes where at least open. Liz could see that he was trying really hard but his body was not under his control anymore.

"I hope this wasn't one of your expensive suits." Liz said as she got the scissor out of the package, cutting the fabric not to gently. Donald didn't even try to protest and Liz started to ask herself if Donald was still aware of his surroundings.

Liz got her best to rip the water soaked fabric off of Donald as fast as possible. She knew that it was just getting him colder and colder with every minute. Quickly she covered him with a shock blanket and then got his arm stretched out slowly.

"I will get an IV into you to get you warm." She said now feeling herself starting to shake too. She ripped her jacket off before she strapped herself into a shock blanket as well. She wouldn't be any help if she would pass out too.

Liz had never set up an IV before, she had just learned the basics once as she had been to an FBI field training. Donald would know how to do it probably but right now it was on her to get it started. After looking up at Donald's face once more Liz knew that there was no other possibility than at least try it. He needed her now.

Liz could feel the warmth of the IV in her cold hands. It felt good and she just hoped that it would start to warm up Donald's body again.

"See even with basic field training you can set up an IV." Liz said towards Donald who was always joking around about her "minimum knowledge of the real FBI work" as he always called it. Liz could see that Donald had slipped into unconsciousness again but what really got Liz attention was the nearing sound of an helicopter. Help was finally there.  
A paramedic was by her side in no time and Liz quickly filled him in what had happened. He checked Ressler over before talking to her.

"Okay, we can't move him but we need to get him to the backboard. You need to help me and hold him onto his side while I got the board underneath him, okay?" Liz nodded holding onto Donald.

The paramedic brought Donald up first before picking Liz up too. As she finally made it into the helicopter her eyes grew wide as she could see that Donald had been intubated. The image of him on a ventilator nearly made Liz pass out. Tear where already streaming down her face as she asked "What happened?"

"We need to stabilize him further. His body temperature is really low and we couldn't risk anything right now. His heart rate and his blood pressure are giving us a hard time" The Doctor told her before setting another warm blanket onto Donald's unmoving body.

"He is strong. He is a really strong person." Liz mumbled. She felt cold and started to shake more now that she knew Donald was in good hands.

"Let's have a look at you too."

"I am fine." Liz tried to protest but knew immediately that the doctor was right. She needed at least a warm blanket too.

Liz walked back into the waiting area, dressed in fresh and warm clothes, holding onto the cup of hot coffee she just got herself. Meera had stopped by bringing her some fresh clothes. Even if they where in the middle of a search for Beth Meera had told Cooper that Liz also needed medical attention so she could stay with Donald until she knew that he was out of the woods.

Liz leaned her head onto the wall right in front of the shock room they had brought Donald in what felt like an eternity ago. Still she couldn't rebuild everything that had happened on the bridge, it was just some blur chaos on her mind, some foggy memories, all that she could see when she closed her eyes was Donald's lifeless body, face down in the water.

"Agent Keen?" A voice got her out of her horrible memories.

"Agent Ressler's body temperature is rising slowly. He's still not responsive but at least his vitals are now stabilized. We will soon move him to ICU." A Doctor explained.

"Can I see him?"

"Of course. Just give us a few minutes to get everything settled for Agent Ressler. A nurse is going to bring you to his room soon." Liz nodded biting her lower lip. She knew that she needed to join Meera, that they needed to find Beth, she knew that it would be Donald's wish too.

"Is he going to be alright?" She asked. Still she didn't know if he got hurt during the gun fight or the explosion.  
"We checked him probably. He's got 4 cracked ribs, nothing broken, no internal bleeding. The hypothermia is giving his body a hard time. His heart rate and blood pressure made us worry that's why we will take him to ICU. He's still not out of the woods but things are looking good."  
Liz exhaled deeply before sitting back down on her chair. Maybe if she had reacted sooner he wouldn't be in this bad condition right now. Maybe.

After the nurse guided her to Donald's room Liz took a minute before she got to his side. At least the ventilator was gone but still Donald was as pale as the bed he was laying in. The room was heated and warm blankets where all over his body. Still there was an IV line in his hand, pumping warm liquid into his system.

"Hey." Liz said stroking Donald's hair slightly. He still felt so cold.

"I need you to listen to me right now. Beth is still missing and we need to find her. I can't stay with you now so you have to fight on your own, you hear me? Fight Donald. I need you." Liz whispered before exhaling deeply, fighting back the urgent need to place a kiss on Donald's head. She closed her eyes for a second before walking out of the room, leaving her wounded partner behind. It was the job, it was protocol, there was nothing else she could do even if her gut was telling here a completely different story.

Liz grabbed her phone again while Meera drove the SUV desperately looking for a call from the hospital. Still there was no word on Donald waking up. It had been four hours now. They had just checked out another location without success, still there was no sign of Beth.

"Still nothing?" Meera asked, getting Liz to exhale deeply.

"No."

"Come on I will drop you off at the hospital."

"We need to..."

"You need to check on Donald. I understand." Meera just said looking straight into Liz's eyes. "Thank you."

Liz made her way towards Donald's room, feeling her heart stop for a second as she found it empty. "Donald." She whispered, turning around to find a nurse or somebody else who could tell her what had happened. This wasn't a good sign.

"Agent Keen." The tiny voice of Betty got her to turn around.

"Where is he?" She just asked.

"There where some complications."

"Why haven't you called me? What's going on? Is he going to be alright?" Liz couldn't think straight. She had felt that something wasn't right. She had known that it was a mistake to leave him all on his own in his condition.  
"I can only tell you that his blood pressure and his heart rate had gotten worse again. Doctor Robins wanted to check him over again and look for possible internal bleeding again." Liz exhaled deeply tears already forming in her eyes. She tried to remember their last conversation and had to smile slightly. They had joked, she could still see him smile.

For Liz it felt like an eternity until she could hear a bed wheeling over the ground. She got up from the chair in the empty room and looked towards the door where Donald was wheeled back into the room. Still he was laying completely still in his bed which was surrounded by machines. He got oxygen through a nasal cannula, his cheeks finally had a healthy looking red flush on them.

"I am here Donald." Liz said touching his arm, which felt warm, before turning around to face the Doctor.

"Dr. Robins, what's going on?"

"We just wanted to make sure that there is still no internal bleeding, everything is looking good. His blood pressure and his heart rate are stabilized again."

"Why had it dropped?"

"It's a little tricky. Hypothermia could cause this symptoms but internal bleeding could show the same symptoms. Since the explosion and the possibly uncontrolled fall from the bridge we wanted to make sure that nothing ruptured."

"You didn't find anything, right?"

"No. He is going to be okay Agent Keen."

"Why isn't he waking up then?"

"Some patients take longer than others. His body had been through a lot today. I think he should be awake soon. His vitals are good, blood pressure is good too and as you can see his heart rate is completely back to normal."

"Why does he get oxygen?"

"The cracked ribs are properly giving him a hard time breathing properly. It's just to prevent his oxygen levels from dropping again."  
"So they dropped before?"  
"Yes."

Liz exhaled deeply before thanking the Doctor for all the information's. She laid her hand back onto Donald's arm, stroking his cheek with her other hand.

"Take your time. I am right here by your side. Everything is going to be alright." Liz said watching Donald closely. She wouldn't leave his side again. Not until she had talked to him. Not until he had told her on his own that he was going to be alright.

It took two more hours until Liz could feel Donald slightly shifting under her touch. She waited for a few more minutes until she started to talk to him even if he had his eyes still shut.  
"Hey sleeping beauty." She said as Donald finally opened his eyes, blinking away the dizziness. "Hey." He said, his voice raw. She could see how dry his lips where.

"Here. Carefully. Just a few sips." Liz said holding Donald's head with one hand and the cup of water with the other hand.

"Thanks." He said relived to feel the pillow underneath his head again. He just felt weak and exhausted.

"How do you feel?" Liz asked right in this moment.

"The last thing I remember is the chemicals going off." Donald said, avoiding to answer her question. He just felt miserable.

"You where thrown off the bridge into the water. As I finally reached you you weren't breathing anymore."

"Please don't tell me you jumped off of this bridge!" Donald said and Liz had to smirk.

"My heroic partner needed to be saved again." Liz just shot back.

"Are you alright?"

"Come on really? Donald you are lying in a hospital bed in ICU after nearly dying and you are asking me if I am alright?"

"I remember the truck hitting the SUV, the explosion...Beth. Where is Beth?" Donald said hectically as things finally got back into his mind. He moaned out in pain as he tried to sit up, his ribs giving him a hard time.

"Shhhh. Please lay back down and keep calm. We are searching for her."

"You haven't found her yet?" Donald asked while Liz eyes never left the monitor beside Donald's bed. His heart rate wasn't doing his body any good in his current situation.

"No but we are looking for her." Liz said relieved as she could see that it was getting back to normal slowly.

Donald hissed in pain again as he settled back down and Liz remembered his cracked ribs.

"You suffered hypothermia and gave us quite of a scare. You where out for nearly 10 hours. Your heart rate and blood pressure made a roller coaster ride. They needed to intubate you in the helicopter." Liz continued to talk.

"You have four cracked ribs but other then that you should be fine soon." Donald nodded slowly looking into Liz eyes not missing the tears in her eyes.

"Liz!" He said softly.

"I had to reanimate you. You where nearly dead Donald. You...you weren't breathing anymore. As we reached the hospital you where hooked to a ventilator and I couldn't do anything. We have been through a lot but this was just...I was so scared. I could have lost you."

"I am right here and I am not going anywhere okay? Liz! Come here." Donald said reaching out for her and pulling her close. He could feel the pain in his ribs as Liz buried her head on his chest, not giving away anything.

"It's going to be okay. I am going to be okay." Donald continued to tell her, gently stroking her hair while he could hear and feel her sobbing. It took Liz a few minutes before she got back up looking straight into Donald's eyes.

"You can't just leave me here!"

"I will not leave you. I mean come on, you only got minimum knowledge of the real FBI work." Ressler said while Liz joined him in his words.

"You know what Mister poster boy FBI Agent? See this beautiful IV line in your arm? Guess who set it?"

"Oh come on you gotta be kidding me."

"Absolutely not. I did it! You where to busy with nearly dying on me so someone had to save your ass."

"I am impressed. Did the doctors say anything? Will I be able to use the arm again?" Donald asked with a serious expression relived as he could see a smile on Liz face. Even if he felt completely miserable at the moment he needed to see her better. After everything she had just told him he knew that she had literally walked through hell today. He couldn't even imagine if it would have been her in his situation.

"Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." Donald said getting her hand back into his.

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

"I couldn't just let you go. We are not done yet." Liz said her hand gently stroking his hair.

"No?" He asked with a smirk.  
"No. Not as partners and not as friends."

So guys I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.


End file.
